A Muggle Technicality
by TheRealRitaSkeeter
Summary: Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter have family...each other. And one manipulative Squib is going to ensure that Dumbledore won't know what hit him. MoreintelligentVoldie
1. Chapter 1

Margaret Black, daughter of Marius Black, disowned squib had worked for Surrey Social Services since 1980 when she had been 21., Now at 36 she could (reword: feel the stressful but rewarding job every morning before she drank at least two cups of coffee). It was a blistering summer's day at the end of July and she was waiting for the phone call that she received every year on the 31st from one Mrs. Petunia Dursley of Number 4 Privit Drive, Little Winging, a small suburban constituency that had voted Conservative for as long as the England had voted. Mrs. Dursley called every year just to check that no mysterious relatives had popped into existence in the previous year to take "The Boy" of her hands. Margaret or Maggie as she was universally known had worked "The Potter Case" since 1991 when her predecessor had been found to be neglecting her duty following the death of a three year old two years previously in which an inquiring inquiry had proved that Social Services could and should have of intervened. Consequently Maggie had found herself investigating all of the cases that had previously been deemed as safe to ensure that no other errors had been made; she had spent the 5th of September being barked at by Mr. Dursley while Mrs. Dursley followed her around their spotless home, pursing her lips as they went. She had gone into Harry James Potter's (Born 31st July 1980 to Lily Elizabeth Potter nee' Evans and James Charlus Potter. Occupation unknown, born in Godric's Hollow, Ross on Wye, Known relatives: Petunia Marianne Dursley: Maternal Aunt) Bedroom to find it clean with only a collection of pre-teen novels and stack of broken toys. Maggie's alarm bell was triggered by Mrs. Dursley's frequent mentions of the fact that "The Boy" was at boarding school, as if the lack of other personal belongings in the small room could be explained away by boarding school where he was unlikely to bring toys and anything too precious with him. Her panic had set in when she had approached their cupboard under the stairs and opened it to find a lost sock and a small slightly broken toy soldier on the floor, an anomaly in the otherwise spotless house. Maggie hadn't commented but had left with a tight smile and a promise to be in touch, as it was apparently she couldn't do any more than put Harry on "at-risk-status", particularly as it had been proven that he was away at boarding school for nine months of the year. When she had gone back the next summer, she had watched Harry and the Dursley's son Dudley, talk in the garden and it had indeed proved that Harry was sleeping in the smallest bedroom upstairs rather than the cupboard. Consequently it had been deemed that Harry's situation was not critical despite the obvious size difference between him and Dudley.

As Maggie sat emailing one of the local school nurses for information on a family of five who didn't seem to have washed clothes on a regular basis, the phone rang.

"Hello, Maggie Black here, who's speaking?"

"I'm Detective Inspector Michael Batley from West Yorkshire Constabulary; we recently investigated a light show in the Village of Little Hangelton and upon questioning the owner of the Manor House in the village, we discovered he was the son of the original family by the last Mr. Riddle's first wife., Consequently Mr. Thomas Marvolo Riddle, is a Maternal Great-Uncle of one of your clients, a Harry James Potter?"

Maggie blinked several times in shock, "This Tom Riddle is the son of my client's great-grandfather?"

"We believe so; we proved it using DNA from the Riddle Cold Case in 1926"

"Can you give me his contact details?"

"Yep, hang on a mo'... yep Riddle House, Little Hangelton, Denby Dale, West Yorkshire, DN13 1AA, Phone Number 015673 866343;, you should probably expect it to be answered by Pettigrew, Mr Riddle's companion"

"Ok, thanks, bye"

Maggie had sat in stunned shock for five minutes and then picked up the phone and called her father; when he had heard the news that Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort, had proved to be the third closest blood relative of Harry Potter, his mortal enemy, Marius Black had burst out laughing.

"Maggie, the best way to handle it is to go into the kill, you don't think his relatives treat him well, yes?"

"Yes..."

"Then it's simple; uses your real name, Medeia Black has more authority than Maggie as a name, then blackmail him and inform him that if he really wants to annoy Dumbledore, corrupting his only saviour is a really good method, and then sit back and let him get completely frustrated over the fact that he can only have an heir if he gives up his plan to conquer the wizarding world."

Grasping every ounce of courage, she dialled Voldemort's phone number. Pettigrew's squeaky nasal voice came on the end of the line.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Medeia Clytemnestra Black, I'd like a word with your master."

Pettigrew must have passed the phone very quickly because within 30 seconds a serpentine voice was speaking.

"What do you want you filthy squib?"

"Are you aware that your father remarried?"

"Are you attempting to test my patience?"

"No, merely inform you of your...options. Your father remarried, taking his childhood sweetheart, Cecilia Chambers as his second wife. She died in childbirth with your half sister Alyssa Rose in 1932 who married Harold Evans in 1955, giving birth to Petunia Marianne in 1957 and Lily Elizabeth in 1960. Alyssa and Harold died in a car crash in 1979 and Lily and her husband James Potter..." She gave time for a dramatic pause to allow the realisation to hit him, "Were killed by you in 1981., Petunia and her husband Vernon are not giving sufficient care for your Great-Nephew Harry and as the Social Worker attached to Harry's case I do have to...investigate potential alternative guardians for my client"

Voldemort was muttering on the end of the phone, something about 'Potter always looking too skinny' then, in a voice that struck Maggie as being more of the charismatic Tom Riddle, her father had told her about, who Walburga and Cygnus, his siblings had fawned over, rather than He-Who-Must-Not-Be-named, The Dark Lord, said, "If I do agree to take guardianship of Potter, what of the prophecy? I assume that the ever omniscient Marius informs you of everything?"

"Yes and I believe his words were Bullshit. Sibyl Trelawney is the biggest fraud he has ever encountered."

"You are inferring by this conversation saying that I could take advantage of Muggle legislation in order to cease Potter's stance as my enemy and piss Dumbledore off at the same time."

"Yes." She said simply.

There was a pause, and then "When can I sign the paperwork?"

"I'll bring both Harry and the paperwork up to Yorkshire with me tomorrow."

"I will see you then Miss Black."

Before the line cut off, she just about heard him order Pettigrew to clean and sort another room out for their guest.

She sat back in her chair and smirked. Petunia was going to be so happy.


	2. Chapter 2

Maggie sat in her VW Polo with fifteen year old Harry Potter in the front seat next to her. She had called Petunia at 9.00 that morning with the news that a new potential guardian had been found for her nephew. Petunia had quite happily forced Harry to pack everything ready for Maggie to collect in half an hour. When Maggie had arrived both Harry and the Dursley's seemed absolutely thrilled to get away from each other. Now however an hour and a half into the four hour journey, Maggie had the child proof locks on to stop him from escaping the car; she had told him ten minutes earlier just who his relative was.

_Ten minutes previously_

"So, who is this mysterious relative who's just turned up?" Harry had said yawning and stretching.

"Your Grandmother's half brother, your great-grandfather married twice, your Uncle Tom is his son by his first wife."

"Why haven't I heard about him before? Why didn't you approach him in 1981?"

Harry still apparently hadn't got the hint despite her telling him when he got in the car that he was going to live in Yorkshire.

"He's been abroad since 1981 until last year for his health"

"Cool, where?"

"Oh Albania" She said trying to sound nonchalant.

Harry, in the front passenger seat, went very pale and attempted to throw himself out of the car, a rather stupid attempt considering that the car was going at 70. Maggie had quickly put the childproof locks on. Harry took and his wand and appeared to consider the pros and cons of using it.

"No Magic outside of Hogwarts, Harry."

"Are you a death eater then?"

"No I'm your social worker"

Biting back a retort of 'what's the difference?' Harry scowled and said, "Why are you delivering me to Voldemort then?"

Maggie smirked, "I'm not Harry, I really am delivering you to your Great-Uncle Tom, the fact that he may or may not be Lord Voldemort is entirely irrelevant."

"How is the fact that you are offering me up as bait to a psychopathic Dark wizard irrelevant?"

"Harry, I can turn around now and take you straight back to your aunt and uncle's. I'm sure they'd be delighted to see you again after four years of frequent calls to see whether there's someone else available to take care of you."

It was emotional blackmail and she knew it. On the other hand, the reality of the wizarding world was simple, it didn't matter how "light" or "Gryffindor" you were, Squib's still received incredibly poor treatment. In reality even though you disgraced the family by being a weak link the "Dark" families often treated their squib children better than the light ones did. Her Mother, Agalia Black nee' Nott and Father Marius were both Squibs from Dark Pureblood families and had both been sent to Muggle institutions of similar standings and cost to Hogwarts- Cheltenham Ladies College and Eton respectively. Her father had taken a degree in Law at Cambridge and had gone into the city. Maggie had never needed to work however staying at home would have meant seeing her Grandparents and Great-Aunt Cassiopeia far too regularly something she couldn't have ever managed. They were tolerant of her family's lack of magic, but many Christmases spent being informed of how well her five cousins were doing at Hogwarts had soured her towards spending too much time with them. Consequently she had taken a Psychology degree at Oxford and gone into social care.

The hugely irritating thing for her had been one Christmas in 1978 when the entire family (excluding Sirius but including childless Lucretia Prewett nee' Black's two Nephews Fabien and Gideon and her Niece Molly, Husband Arthur Weasley and five children William, Charles, Fredrick, George and Percy) had got together. Arthur Weasley who for some unknown reason had decided to work in the misuse of Muggle artifacts department was full of enthusiasm about the Muggle world but when it came down to it Walburga Black, proud pureblood, was more knowledgeable about the Muggle World than he was. He was convinced that Marius was an accountant despite Marius explaining several times with gritted teeth that he was a city trader. And worst of all Molly who for all her Gryffindor lightness was just as prejudiced and uninterested in the Muggle world as her Aunt Druella had very callously asked whether it wasn't a better idea for Maggie to settle down and marry a nice Muggle Boy and have children. Maggie could clearly remember the atmosphere in the drawing room at Grimmauld place being cold as Antarctica's as her Mother, Father, Grandparents and Great-Aunt Cassiopeia had glared at Molly before her Cousin Bellatrix, despite all her claims of hating "The Dirty Squib", had flown into a rage accusing Molly of being a two-faced cow and venting her spleen at the injustice of Molly being able to have five sons when she couldn't have any. A fearsome duel had begun that had ended when Bill, Molly's eldest had been hit by a stray jinx. Arthur had dragged Molly home with a sheepish smile apologizing for the situation and Maggie, Marius and Agalia had driven home fuming and bitter.

Maggie had never forgotten that night and the attitude that the light side apparently had towards the "jokes" of the Wizarding World. If Albus Dumbledore, the defeater of Grindelwald, wouldn't do a damm thing for Squib rights (Marius reckoned that Dumbledore's sister Arianna, who was rarely mentioned had probably been a squib and the family had been of the worst kind, hiding her away instead of allowing her to integrate into both the Muggle and Magical world. Unfortunately as her Grandmother Irma wanted to reserve that particular bit of blackmail for a special occasion, the Chief Mugwump's skeletons had never come out of the closet) then perhaps Lord Voldemort, the half blood son of a squib would do something about it instead.

As they reached the village of Little Hangelton, Harry began trying to escape again. Maggie ignored him and drove up the long winding hilly drive up to the Riddle House. When she reached the top of the drive just outside a large oak front door, Pettigrew and Voldemort, heavily disguised as his former self, were waiting. Harry stopped his attempts to escape and held down the child lock on his door. Maggie sighed and got out of the car.

"Miss Black," Voldemort said smoothly, "I hope your journey was...pleasant"

"Indeed it was Mr. Riddle," Voldemort scowled, "I'm afraid Harry was a little uncooperative."

"My Lord!" Pettigrew called, flinching when Voldemort turned to glare at him, "The boy won't get out of the car."

Voldemort sighed dramatically and waved his wand. The roof sliced off Maggie's car. Not surprisingly she screamed, "YOU IDIOT WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO MY CAR!"

Voldemort raised an eyebrow, silenced her, petrified Harry, sliced the seatbelt in half and levitated the fuming fifteen year old out of the wreck of Maggie's beloved polo before begging to levitate him into the Manor house.

Fuming and still silenced, Maggie followed the Heir of Slytherin and the immobile boy-who-lived into the Snake's Pit, with Pettigrew following behind whimpering and flinching every time Maggie turned to glare at him.


	3. Chapter 3

Maggie found herself sat in a large armchair opposite the most feared wizard in the last fifty years with his mortal enemy and great-nephew sitting next to her being handed a cup of tea by a trembling Peter Pettigrew.

When she had finished the cup of tea, Voldemort finally undid the silencing charm he had placed on her. Before she could get a word in edge ways he had said sibilantly, "Would you like the cost of your new car charged to the Malfoy's or the Lestrange's?"

Maggie looked shocked. "Why would you be charging it to them?"

"If you are here then you know who I am, do you not?"

"Yes, a liar."

Voldemort's currently handsome face twisted in an amused smile.

"I suppose you could say that. None of my followers seemed to have worked it out why they were in the graveyard that night, in this village, surrounded by Muggle Gravestones."

Pettigrew squeaked. Voldemort rolled his eyes and banished him from the room with a flick of his wand.

"Having rid ourselves of the useless vermin shall we continue? I'm sure Harry will behave himself now won't you Harry?" Maggie asked sweetly, meeting Voldemort's gaze dead on.

Voldemort flicked his wand and Harry unfroze, with another wand flick he had been presented with a cup of tea. Harry sat scowling, sipping suspiciously at his tea.

"I am aware that the two of you are amongst the few who are intelligent enough to connect a brilliantly intelligent Slytherin Head boy with the Dark Wizard with whom few wizards survive their encounter"

"Too thick to work out anagrams" Harry said snarkily.

Voldemort raised an eyebrow and looked at his supposed mortal enemy, as if...reassessing him.

"Very true Potter. Tom Riddle was an orphan who left Hogwarts with nothing but intelligence and allies."

"And twelve Outstanding NEWTs." interjected Maggie.

Voldemort was beginning to look as though he was enjoying himself immensely, "Quite, any gold I made landed in my frugal Gringott's account between the age of eighteen and twenty one. If you still remember basic arithmetic from primary school Potter, I am now sixty nine. My Gringott's account dried up many years ago. Fortunately many wizarding families are gifted with more gold than intelligence ."

Harry smiled grudgingly at the brilliance of what he had realized. "You've been living off pureblood gold for decades."

Maggie burst out laughing, "How much do you get off them in voluntary donations every year?"

Voldemort smirked, "Enough to fund the education of every generation of the Weasley family since Septimus."

Harry immediately became angry again. "The Weasleys can't help being poor!"

"Actually they can," said Maggie with a poisonous smile on her face, "Has your friend Ron, never told you why his family has no gold?"

"No...but I bet the Malfoys had something to do with it."

Voldemort rolled his eyes and looked as though he was considering transfiguring his teacup into a plank of wood to hit himself (or Harry) repeatedly with it.

"Blood traitors we call them Potter. Muggle lovers. This current generation may have nothing to do with the original cause but the wizarding world has a long memory for dirty little secrets" Voldemort paused for dramatic effect. Harry was scowling at him. "I was at school at the same time as Walburga Black, Abraxes Malfoy and Agues Weasley."

"Who?" Harry interrupted rather rudely.

Voldemort scowled and glared at Maggie.

"Just get on with the damm story," Maggie muttered.

"Agues Weasley was or is, I don't particularly care, Septimus Weasley's younger brother by eight years. Septimus Weasley is your particular swarm of redhead's grandfather. To continue, from the moment the purebloods realised that there was more to me than the surname of a filthy Muggle; I began to be told the little ins and outs of pureblood feuds. Why the Abbots and Notts are never seen at the same pureblood ball is because at some point in the 19th century there was a huge duel and six ministry employees died."

Harry shrunk into his seat thinking about the kind, slightly manic Hannah Abbot and the bookish Theodore Nott, one of the more insular Slytherin who seemed eternally alone. He couldn't imagine either of them having an epic duel in the middle of the great hall. Hermione and Pansy Parkinson on the other hand...Harry shuddered at the thought. Voldemort glanced at Harry slightly confused about the boys' antics and then continued.

"The most interesting of the tales of pureblood murder and mayhem was the story of Sirius Black the first."

"There's been more than one Sirius?" Harry asked blinking owlishly.

"Yes," Maggie said, "There have been three Sirius Blacks, the third of which is my cousin and your Godfather."

"You're related to Sirius?"

"Yes, my father Marius is his mother, Walburga's brother. My other cousins are Narcissa Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange and Andromeda Tonks."

"Sirius is related to the Malfoy's!" Harry yelled spitting tea all over the floor.

Voldemort scowled, waved his wand and cleaned the carpet of Harry's saliva. "Potter, were you not aware that the majority of pureblood families are inter-related? Bigotry tends to restrict choice. Anyway if I may continue...?"

Maggie and Harry nodded.

"Sirius Black I was eight years old; he was at that age when wizarding children have started to develop their powers but have no control over them. He was playing with his younger siblings Phineas and Elladora when he accidentally caused a bed of black roses to grow. His siblings were delighted but he was spotted by a Muggle, William Palmer who the following week whilst they were playing in the square outside Number 12 Grimmauld Place kidnapped Sirius and, in his experimentations on him to find the source of the eight year olds' power, killed him."

Harry had gone quite pale and looked on the verge of going green.

"When Hesperus and Elektra found Palmer and the remains of their son, needless to say they were furious and grief struck. They rounded up a lynch mob made up of the Flints, Crabbes, Goyles, Rosiers and yes Potter, before you ask, the Malfoys. However just as they were preparing to burn Palmer to death in the centre of Knockturn Alley, Cian Weasley, Septimus's Great-Grand Father rushed out protesting that what they were doing was unjust and that taking Palmer's life wouldn't bring Sirius back. Hesperus became angry and started to duel Cian accusing him of being a "muggle lover" and "blood traitor" but as Hesperus became more and more angry his concentration waned and Cian was able to stun him grab Palmer and apparate into the Muggle world, saving Palmer's life."

Harry had gone a delicate shade of green and Voldemort had to pause to conjure a sick bucket. Maggie moved over to Harry to rub his back as he retched into the bucket. When he had finished regurgitating his breakfast Voldemort continued.

"The Weasley's were fined 20000, 00000 Galleons 6 sickles and twelve knuts for the extra grief caused to the Black family and interfering with justice. Since 1853 Phineas II was disowned for promoting supporting Muggle rights- arguing that Cian had done the right thing and Cedrella and Arthur Weasley's mother was disowned for marrying his father. The "Darker" Pureblood families allied with the Blacks hence why the Weasley family has been a disgrace to the wizarding world ever since."

Harry still looked faintly green but was capable of responding to Voldemort's 'lovely' story.

"So Draco Malfoy isn't just a bigoted arsehole?"

"No he is," Voldemort said faintly amused, "The Malfoy family is still bigoted as is the entire wizarding world. If they weren't so hung up on events that happened over a hundred years ago before even Bathalida Bagshot was born I'm sure the wizarding world would have been far more aware of the dangers of an half-blood with no knowledge of his wizarding parentage who had the ability at the age of thirteen to wipe most of them off the face of the earth."

Voldemort turned to face Harry dead on a slight smile playing about his lips as he gazed his pale relative.

"I have always found it slightly ironic...Harry, that the most powerful figures in the Wizarding world have never been pureblood: Morgan La Fay and Merlin were both Muggleborn and you, me and indeed Dumbledore are all half bloods. And indeed, after having faced down many purebloods of notably long breeding, The Bones', The McKinnon's, I was destroyed at the hands of a Muggleborn witch."

Harry lowered his head away from Voldemort's intense gaze.

"The Wizarding World is unjust, they're all just as bad as each other, Ron and Draco need to get a life, I'm related to you and the wizarding world needs serious reform," Harry muttered.

"Precisely," said Voldemort hissing slightly as he raised his wand and removed the charm obscuring his Snake like features.

Harry looked up to meet Voldemort's gaze.

"Where do we start?"

Voldemort drew back his lipless mouth from his gums in a mirthless parody of a smile.

"Squibs."

**Thanks to Feminist4ever for betaing this for me!**


	4. Chapter 4

Maggie, Harry and Voldemort were sat around the long oak dinner table, eating Chicken and Cashew Nut from the Chinese takeaway in Great Hangelton. Maggie had eaten one mouthful of Pettigrew's concoction (it was meant to be Sheppard's pie) and promptly demanded proper food. Therefore despite Voldemort's protests that he didn't really need to eat and Maggie could easily take Harry down to The Hanged Man later for pie and chips. He had found himself used as a taxi service for egg chow mien and prawn crackers although (and he wasn't going to tell Maggie) he did have to admit that Muggles were much better chefs than rodenty wizards.

When they had finished the last morsel of rice, Maggie brought out a series of documents from within her handbag along with a shiny black and gold pen.

"Now, to official business," She placed the documents in front of Voldemort, "This is every single one of the documents that we require to get Harry out from under Dumbledore's nose."

Harry frowned and leaned across the table to grab the top document, "A statement of interest in the adoption of Harry James Potter. You're Serious about this?"

"No," Maggie said, "Sirius is my cousin" Harry rolled his eyes at her, "Yes I'm serious about it, think about it, you get away from the Dursley's and you end the bloodshed of this war, you stop any more Cedric's dying." Harry paled and his eyes went slightly watery.

2-0 to Maggie on the emotional blackmail front.

"I've backdated all of them to cover the past year, and this Tom," Voldemort scowled at the use of his given name, "Is a list of people who you'll need to obliviate to make them think they approved your request to adopt Harry, now Tom" she said, deliberately using the accursed pronoun, "You need to sign here and here and I now need to say Harry are you aware of this process and you are happy with Tom becoming your guardian?"

"Are you going to give me a choice?" Voldemort twitched slightly in amusement at Harry's cheek as he signed the multiple pages of forms.

"No." Maggie responded.

"Then I'm aware and happy. The world needs changing and if allying with the psychopath who killed my parents is the option that isn't going to result in the deaths of many more people then it's for the greater good."

Voldemort finished signing the last paper with a flourish, "Excellent, your quoting Grindelwald already."

"Dumbledore actually" Maggie said sourly

Voldemort's eyes narrowed, "What, the Great almighty, saintly Dumbledore the source of Grindelwald's slogan?"

Maggie smiled bitterly at him, starting to remind Harry exactly who she was related to. Her blue eyes were sparkling with mirth and with just a hint of insanity in them.

"Why do you think, Grindelwald was imprisoned not killed? He and Dumbledore were friends." She spat out the word friends, "The filthy hypocrite was best friends with the dark lord and locked his Squib sister up to hide the shame of her existence!"

Harry looked shocked, "He...has a sister?"

"Had," Maggie said, "She died in 1899, shortly before one Gellert Grindelwald, favourite nephew of Bathalida Bagshot, left Godric's Hollow to return to Munich"

Harry was stunned, "I didn't know he lived in Godric's Hollow either. Why does no one know about this? Surely someone should know, he has so much influence, Fudge practically uses him as his brain..." he continued to mumble is disbelief.

"Why does no one know? I would have thought that information like this should have been exploited years ago, to destroy the old fool's credibility? He's quite happily informed far too many people that I'm a hypocrite." Voldemort asked.

"Simple, he's too saintly for many people to bother digging around to test his infallibility. Then anyone who would want to go digging would have to have to have the resources that the Black family does" Maggie said with a smirk, "Letters between Dumbledore and Grindelwald discussing their plans for the wizarding world"

"So," said Harry slowly, "The man who I once considered the greatest wizard alive is as big a hypocrite as my worst enemy and I'm prepared to work with said worst enemy who is also my great-uncle to bring down the wizarding world with a manipulative Black family squib."

"Sounds about right." Said Maggie grinning.

"I reckon that you'd better go obliviate some Muggles, Uncle Tom," said Harry a smirk coming to his face, causing his eyes to light up eerily reminiscent of the killing curse. "Because, we've got quite a lot of reform to carry out and I don't think the ministry or Dumbledore knows enough about the Muggle family courts to be able to do anything against us."

Voldemort smirked and apparated away with a crack. The moment he was gone, Pettigrew crept into the room to clear away the takeout boxes. Maggie searched through the pile of adoption forms to check they were in order and would appear to be completely legal. "These are perfect, I doubt even the most highly trained legal expert that Dumbledore could find would fault these." She grinned maliciously, "He's going to be so pissed off"

Sure enough, two hundred miles away a week later, Kingsley Shacklebolt, the most Muggle savvy member of the Order of the Phoenix rushed into the kitchen at Grimmauld Place waving a legal document in one hand and his purple hat in the other. The other occupants of the room looked in astonishment at the normally calm sedate auror and Sirius Black gazed intensely at Kingsley, his blue eyes bloodshot with a mixture of firewhiskey and tiredness. Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster, Supreme Mugwump, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot said in ethereal tones, "What news, Kingsley of Harry?"

The Order Guard had realized two days ago that Harry was no longer at Privit Drive when Tonks had realized that no kid spends that long doing homework non-stop and the Dursley's had gone away to Majorca celebrating the loss of "their freak nephew". There had been panic ever since as to where the fourteen year old had vanished to. Molly Weasley had been crying non-stop, Sirius had retreated to the bottle and Ron, Hermione and Ginny had been sending frantic letters of "contact us, let us know where you are and that your safe" with every owl they could find.

Kingsley sank into a chair and put the piece of paper entitled "record of adoption" on the table.

"Harry was removed from his relatives last week by a social worker."

Molly Weasley went into a panic, "That poor boy, were they mistreating him? He always looks too thin."

"Molly I do not believe that this has anything to do with mistreatment,"

Molly calmed down, Dumbledore on the other hand became more alert, "Then why was Harry removed from his aunt's care? She's his only blood relative?"

Kingsley's deep brown eyes caught Dumbledore's intense blue, "Apparently she isn't. A great-uncle was found according to the legal documents, a half brother of Lily's mother."

The cogs turned in Dumbledore's head and he paled, "Oh Merlin! He said himself...a likeness"

Sirius turned to Kingsley, "What relative? What in Merlin's name is going on? Where's Harry?"

Dumbledore answered slowly, sounding his one hundred and fifteen years, "Sirius and Remus, you remember Alyssa Evans, Lily's mother don't you?"

Remus' amber eyes flicked between Dumbledore and Kingsley, "Yes," he replied.

"Alyssa's father was murdered when she was young along with his parents at the family house in Yorkshire by her half brother, Alyssa's maiden name was Riddle, and her half brother was Tom Marvolo Riddle."

Arthur Weasley's face had gone ashen, upstairs on the opposite end of a set of extendable ears, Hermione had gone pale, Ginny had burst into tears and Ron had vomited over George's shoes.

"So," said Arthur, "What has Voldemort done with Harry?"

"Adopted him." Said Kingsley gravelly, "the paperwork has all been signed, Petunia Dursley apparently handed over custody last week"

"Why would Voldemort adopt Harry?" said Sirius incredulously, "Is this some kind of trap to kill him or something, were the Muggles really that stupid?"

"Sirius," said Kingsley, "I do not believe the Muggles had anything to do with it. In fact you might want to enlighten us about a member of your family. The social worker who signed custody of Harry over to Voldemort was one Margaret Black, which according to the Squib registry commission is the known alias of one Medeia Clytemnestra Black, your cousin."

Sirius went quite pale murmured "back in a minute" and ran out of the room; they heard him charge up the stairs and out of the front door.

"Where has he gone?" Hestia Jones asked. Remus shrugged and looked to Molly who had her lips pursed and was slowly turning vermillion.

"That interfering, manipulative, evil bitch!" Molly exploded with rage, "What does she think she's doing?"

"Molly, calm down." Arthur pleaded, "This isn't doing anyone any good."

"Who's a bitch?" quizzed Tonks

"Medeia" said Molly tremulously, "For anyone who doesn't know, She's Sirius' squib cousin, she was always a magicless version of Bellatrix, probably why the evil cow defended her."

Tonks and most of the table looked to Arthur quizzically.

"There was an argument many Christmases ago, Molly insulted Medeia and Bellatrix jumped to her defence."

Tonks snorted, "Molly, you must have said something fairly awful to have gained that reaction."

Molly pursed her lips, "I may have insinuated that she was wasting her time doing a Muggle degree thing and that she would have been better finding a nice boy."

There was a wave of murmurings and whisperings along the table and Bill Weasley looked slightly uncomfortable at the fact that a spotlight had been placed on his mother's legendary temper.

Dumbledore silenced them with one wave of his wrinkled hand, "The most vital action that we can currently perform is getting Harry out of Voldemort's clutches. As Harry's corpse has not been found dangling in the centre of the ministry we can assumed that Voldemort does not want Harry dead"

McGonagall hissed at him, "Dumbledore why did you need to remind us of the possibility that the boy might be dead"

Upstairs Ginny started sobbing profusely.

"I apologise Minerva, Kingsley do you think that you can find a suitable lawyer so that we can take this to court? Arthur, the ministry will probably need to be included as well contact both child services and squib registry. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Meeting adjourned, I shall see you all in two days time. Good Night." And Dumbledore swept out of the room looking ancient, with McGonagall and Snape close behind him. Kingsley, Moody and most of the others left soon after, bidding the Weasleys, Tonks and Remus, Good night as they left. Molly and Arthur went upstairs to bed soon after with Bill following them after ten minutes yawning.

Tonks and Remus sat in the kitchen together with a pot of tea and talked for a while,

"Where do you think Sirius went? He's been ages?"

Remus shrugged and ran a hand through his greying sandy hair, "He acts on impulse, I wouldn't have a clue. I think his cousin's involvement has really shaken him. Did your Mum ever talk to you about her, Medeia?"

"Cousin Maggie? Yeah, we went to her graduation ceremony years ago, I think I was five, it was the last time Mum saw any of the family apart from Sirius. I remember she was nice enough, pretty in an aristocratic sort of way, she spent most of her time talking about Machiavelli and Freud with Great-Grandfather Pollux."

Remus winced, "Must be delightful woman."

Tonks hit him, "I'm still related to her you know and as I'm far as I'm aware she's never badmouthed Mum nor put anyone into St Mungo's therefore as far as the Black family goes she's fine." At Remus's scathing glance she corrected her statement, "Up until the point she let He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named adopt Harry Potter"

Remus returned to smiling at her, she finished her tea, grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair and got ready to leave.

"Night Remus" she said, as she passed him, she gave him a kiss on the cheek, as she turned to move away he grabbed her wrist, pulled her closer and kissed her properly. "Goodnight Dora."

"You count yourself as amongst the lucky few to get away with calling me that? I think another kissed is called for in order for you to qualify" she said playfully and then she kissed him again and time and the near full moon seemed irrelevant up until the moment that she pulled away and walked up the stairs, he followed close behind her, seeing her to the front door, grinning as she waved and apparated away.

He walked back along the hall way grinning like a man twenty years younger than he was.

"I hope that that awful vacant expression on your face hasn't been caused by my great-niece. I wouldn't allow any of my female relatives anywhere near your kind werewolf."

Remus brushed off the insult and turned to face the portrait of the haggard Walburga Black,

"Firstly what I do with your great-niece is none of your concern Madam, and secondly not even your Squib ones?"

"What do you think I am?" Walburga said, "A Prewett, god no, I fully admit that we burn our squibs off the family tree. But at least we always ensure at least whilst they spent the first seven years of their life thinking that they might be able to do magic that they get a proper education, a good job and marry well. In no circumstance would I allow you to marry Medeia, she may not have magic but she is certainly the most intelligent of that generation and if she did have magic she'd of given Bellatrix and..." her painted face affected a curious expression like she might have dragon dung under her nose, "Sirius"

"Where has Sirius gone?" Remus asked.

"How would I know, I don't keep tabs on that disgrace."

"If I told you why he left would you have any idea? You might have disowned him Madam but you're still his Mother."

Walburga sniffed indignantly but said, "Very well go on then. Why has he left?"

"Lord Voldemort is Harry Potter's Great-Uncle apparently" said Remus bluntly

Walburga cackled in amusement, "From the Muggle half- sister he decided to save or alternatively leave in the same position as he had, alone and orphaned." Walburga's grin extended to show her yellowish teeth, "Potter's mudblood wife was the Dark lord's niece? How did Dumbledore take it? He couldn't stand Tom, never trusted him even in first year."

Remus was beginning to develop a headache and a feeling of sympathy for Voldemort, automatically being distrusted at an early age was something he could relate to.

"Well then Mrs Black, your niece Medeia was responsible for removing Harry from his Muggle relatives and allowing Voldemort to adopt him."

"Manipulated, boy not allowed, the dark lord does not do thinks out of pity but advantage. Media will have provided him with an offer he could not refuse. Your real question is what does she get out of the situation?" Walburga smirked, "Oh yes...that is where Sirius will have gone, He cannot truly alter who he was born to be as much as he has tried... he still a Black." She paused for dramatic effect, Remus rolled his eyes and she sighed and continued in as mystical a tone of voice as she could manage. "Sirius will be attempting to find Media motives, and there's only one person who knows what's going on inside that girls head..." Walburga cackled again, "He's gone to see my brother".

**Thank you so much for all your support, please continue rating, reading and reviewing. Thank you! **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sirius Black apparated with a crack in front of a large house surrounded by fields, somewhere in the middle of Sussex. Gripping his wand, his courage and the bottle of firewhiskey in the pocket of his robes he marched up to the front door and deliberating on which of the liquor and his wand was least vital should he get hit with a frying pan by his Aunt Agalia. Releasing his grip on the liquor bottle he knocked twice on the door and waited as a grumble of "who in Merlin's name is visiting at this time of night" came closer to the door, before it opened and he was greeted by the sight of a tired Agalia Black dressed in a deep purple silk dressing gown with her dark brown hair neatly arranged in curlers.

"Oh god it's you!" Agalia said taking in her thirty five year old nephew who looked as though he had spent several nights sleeping in a hedge, his long black hair was a tangled mess, his robes were filthy and stained and he was emitting a strong scent of alcohol and sweat.

"Hello Auntie," said Sirius grimly, "Any chance I can talk to Uncle Marius it's..."

"Urgent?" said Marius stepping into Sirius's view from behind his wife. He was Sixty eight but looked several years younger, his hair was still thick and black and his face virtually wrinkleless, he still possessed the handsome aristocratic features that characterised the black family.

"I am aware of the situation, come in, we need to have a talk."

Sirius stepped into the long dark hallway and heard Marius close the door behind him. He followed Agalia into the large (and very expensive looking) kitchen. Agalia put the coffee machine on and the three of them sat in the white leather armchairs that surrounded the small kitchen television. He was quickly handed a hot cup of coffee that soothed the headache the alcohol was beginning to cause.

Marius took a long sip of his latte and looked his nephew over frowning at the whiskey bottle, if Maggie's plan was to work Sirius would have to be convinced and then given a shower and some time with Alcoholics Anonymous. Although, Marius mused, if Sirius failed to be convinced his current state would be fantastic for ensuring that Dumbledore couldn't gain custody of Harry.

"Sirius," Marius said, "I assume that you have heard from Dumbledore that Harry has been adopted by Lord Voldemort."

"Yeah," Sirius said sarcastically, "I always thought that Lily's frequent threats to "get me fixed" was a sign that she must be related to the Darkest Wizard that has ever lived. Her cruel refusal to date James for so many years, a sure sign of her decadence. The fact that I lived off her cooking for three years must have been a cruel plot to brainwash me into becoming her minion." Sirius let out a bark of laughter, "I wonder what James would have said? If he hadn't been done in by his in-laws. "

Agalia and Marius glanced at each other convinced that Azkaban had had an adverse effect on their nephew's sanity.

"Yes, Sirius, Harry and Voldemort are without a doubt related to each other. Muggle DNA testing has proved it."

"And Maggie's got all the paperwork sorted so that the adoption completely legal, I assume? Dumbledore's not going to take this lightly" Sirius said.

"Maggie is aware of this fact," Marius said proudly, "The paperwork is completely legitimate and no legal representative that Dumbledore will be able to find will be able to argue against the adoption. Riddle has never been convicted of anything, there were no witnesses to the night the Potters were killed, evidence as to what happened is circumspect, any decent legal representative for Voldemort would be able to argue that he was never there that night, that for example, James found out who Lily was related to tried to divorce her, she killed him and used dark magic to create a link between Harry and Voldemort so that her uncle would be able to protect her son and the cost of her life and Voldemort's body."

"But," Sirius stuttered, "That's complete rubbish,"

"Of course it is, but purely from a legal point of view it's a convincing argument, the courts will of course be bias depending on whose arse fudge has his head up at the time. "

Marius looked his nephew directly in the eye and then continued extremely seriously, "Sirius, you have two options, you can accept Maggie's plan, argue for Voldemort's adoption claim, have continued access to your godson and potentially end this bloody war and reunite the Black Family. On the other hand you can side with Dumbledore and I can promise you that Maggie's legal team will out you as an alcoholic and imply you are also insane, you will have no chance at being awarded guardianship of Harry and I will ensure that he never sees you again. Understood?"

Sirius had gone quite gaunt, and Agalia sent a reproachful glance at her husband for his extreme use of blackmail. Marius ignored his wife and stared intently at his nephew, waiting for the decision that could change the course of the conflict.

"If, I agree to Maggie's plan, whatever the hell it is. Would that be what Lily and James wanted me to do?"

Marius smiled thoughtfully, "You would keep your promise as Harry's godfather to watch over him, protect him from harm and in James's absence give him 'the talk' I severely doubt that Voldemort knows anything about sex, and if he does I have to seriously question Bellatrix's sanity and taste." All three of them had a sudden rather disgusting image enter their minds and they shuddered. " If you don't agree to Maggie's plan" Marius continued, "Then I wouldn't like to guess how much longer you'd be alive to be Harry's godfather"

Sirius grasped his resolve, "I'll do it, If I have to ignore every principle in my body to protect my Godson I will do."

"Not every principle, Sirius" said Marius wryly, "You can ignore it all you want, but there's plenty of Black in you."

Sirius looked slightly revolted.

"Oh stop, pretending otherwise you stupid boy, " Agalia said, "Your Mother and Cousin Bellatrix were so proud when that letter came home that you'd nearly been expelled for setting a werewolf on Snape. They were only displeased that you'd been caught."

"I don't think nearly killing Snivellus is something I should be proud of."

"No," Agalia said, "You shouldn't on the other hand it gave your mother hope that you were still her son. Poor Regulus couldn't hope to receive any attention that Christmas, your Mother and grandparents kept going on and on about how much hope there was that the prodigal son would return. She loved you very much"

"Then how come her portrait keeps insulting me?"

Marius became grave and slightly sad, "Your Mother died, virtually alone with the exception of her Squib brother who showed every sign of outliving all the wizarding members of the family. Orion and Cygnus were both dead, Alphard was dead, Regulus was dead, you and Bellatrix were in Azkaban, Narcissa was distancing herself from the family to protect Lucius's reputation and Andromeda had talked to anyone in the family for years. She was very bitter, she wanted to die with you and Regulus by her bedside prepared to take up the family traditions, her portrait is a reflection of that bitterness, she needs you to apologise so that she can understand and then she can at least be a bit quieter. When she passed away, the portrait automatically came to life and as we walked past began cursing the fact that only "filthy squibs" continued the family name. Maggie turned to her looked at her directly and said, "Auntie, I will do my best to ensure that everything changes, you will see Bellatrix and Sirius playing hide and seek again, even if it's from a painted canvas" and the portrait accepted her. We've never been back to the house since she died but Maggie has kept her word"

"I assume this is her master plan?" Sirius said seriously.

"Do I really want to hear what my only daughter is planning Marius?" asked Agalia

"Possibly not my dear, go back to bed" Agalia kissed Marius on the cheek said good night to Sirius and left the room.

"Now, down to business, "said Marius, "Maggie's plan is in several stages, firstly the adoption papers are legal, and no court cannot accept them and the adoption as entirely above board. Secondly she is fully aware that Dumbledore will take them to court, Dumbledore is too dependent on Harry's support not to try and get him out from under Voldemort's protection. Thirdly, Dumbledore will fail, leaving him one option of suing Maggie under the Squib registration act of 1762 which limits the political involvement of squibs."

Sirius gaped incredulously, "Maggie's using all this to bring equality to the wizarding world, she's highlighting that Squib's aren't treated fairly. " He sniggered, "Bloody Hell that's brilliant!"

Marius smiled proudly, "It's absolutely fantastic isn't it? Engineering the biggest legal showdown for over a hundred years to end a war, discrimination and oppression, not the usual root for a Black but Maggie is special, she's inherited beauty, sanity and intelligence something that hasn't occurred in the family for quite some time."

"What about me?" said Sirius indignantly.

"Neither of us inherited the sanity, my dear boy, most of the family miss out on it. Whereas Narcissa and Andromeda didn't inherit the brains and Regulus got the sanity and intelligent but he was below par in the aristocratic good looks."

"Sanity's overrated" mumbled Sirius.

"That's what I keep telling Agalia but she doesn't believe me. And besides a little bit of healthy insanity works wonders at ensuring one remains omniscient. Eccentricity and alcohol work wonders at loosening tongues."

"Yeah, I worked that out when I accidentally told Lily that we were all animagi in seventh year, I woke up the next day with a splitting head ache and a dog collar"

"Your Animagi form is a dog? Is that what the nickname was?"

"Padfoot? Yeah and James was a stag and Peter a rat."

"I did wonder, I thought it was rather personal for you to be commenting on your friend's sex life."

Sirius sniggered, "It might have well have been, the treacherous git never did get with anyone, lack of personality and positive physical attributes was probably to blame."

"Pettigrew is living with Voldemort, when Maggie found out about Harry and Voldemort being related, she immediately called me."

"That's why I knew to come, she was always Daddy's little girl. I knew that if Maggie was involved that you would know everything."

"Yes..." Marius smiled reminiscently, "She will always be my little girl."

"Your little girl who's currently in the process of giving the wizarding world a good kick up the arse"

"Quite. Well Sirius," said Marius yawning and standing up, "Stay here tonight, tomorrow as you've agreed to Maggie's plan, I'll take you to see Harry and Maggie to organise the exact details as to your role in it. And Sirius,"

"Yep?" said Sirius about to transform into his animagi form to sleep on the white shag rug on the floor, "Please have a shower in the morning and give me that whiskey bottle, the alcohol dependency is ending now. I'll send an owl to Maggie now so that she knows you're not allowed it."

Sirius groaned.

"Stop it!" Marius said, "If you're going to have a role in Harry's life, you need to be able to be responsible and at the very least sober, Harry needs you to be a father figure and Maggie will not let you anywhere near him if she thinks you're going to be off your face the entire time. Give me the bottle."

Sirius passed the bottle over and Marius tipped it's amber contents down the sink.

"Good, I'll wake you up early for a shower and a haircut and I'll see whether I have any spare clothes for you. Good night Sirius"

"G'night."

Sirius transformed into a large black dog and curled up, Marius turned the kitchen light off and went back upstairs to Agalia. As he climbed into bed he thought to himself, his little girl was preparing to revolutionise the wizarding world, and she would succeed.

"Vive la revolution"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Marius woke up early to find that there was a repetitive pounding on his front door, realising that apparently his wife was not going to get up and answer it he slowly went downstairs and opened the front door to find Remus Lupin and Nymphodora Tonks looking rather apologetic.

"Sorry about this Mr Black, but I was informed by your sister that Sirius was probably here and that you might know more about the current Harry situation than anyone else."

"To you intend to oppose my daughters plan? I cannot guarantee the continuation of your lives if you do."

Tonks smiled brightly and said, "Don't worry Uncle Marius, we're cool with it."

Marius scanned their faces and seeing no hint of a lie in them, allowed them in the house.

"Please go into the kitchen," he said, "We had might as well wake Sirius up, if theirs three of us I'm sure that it'll take considerably less time, unless of cause his sleeping habits have changed since the age of sixteen."

"Nope," said Remus dryly, "It used to take James and I half an hour using a combination of bed cover removal, cold water, shaking, jumping on his bed and Wormtail biting him in order to wake him up on a Monday morning"

"Interesting," Marius mused, "Walburga by the time he was fifteen resorted to sending in Kreacher with orders to do nothing that would cause permanent damage. "

"No wonder he hates the little bugger." Said Tonks, "Sleep deprivation is a serious offence"

"One that your mother is guilty of? Andromeda and Narcissa would always be up way ahead of the rest of us"

Tonks winced, "I hate morning people"

"Then how come you're up at six am?" Marius questioned

Tonks glared at Remus who grinned sheepishly.

"I've not actually been to sleep, I was just getting into my pyjamas with a cup of tea at half three, when the doorbell rings and he comes in telling me he needs to talk to me urgently."

"I did promise to make it up to you with dinner." Remus pleaded. "And it was urgent, I felt that you were obliged to know what your relatives were up to."

"And I'm grateful for it, you daft sod." Said Tonks, giving him a kiss on the cheek, "I just wish you hadn't done at half three."

Marius smiled, here was an opportunity for the family to celebrate when the mess was over, family dinner at the very least, hopefully with fewer duels and disownings as the last one had had, when Sirius had stormed out of dinner grabbed his stuff and illegally apparated to the Potters house. The notice that had come through six months later that his younger brother Alphard had left all his gold to Sirius had caused a major argument between Druella and Walburga and both Sirius and Alphard being blasted off the family tree by a fuming Walburga in front of a terrified and upset fifteen year old Regulus.

They walked into the kitchen and Remus immediately burst out laughing, Sirius had curled up so much that his black furry tail was actually inside his mouth; the three of them crept closer to the sleeping animagus and on Marius's signal Remus and Tonks cast the aguamenti charm, Sirius coughed and spluttered before realizing what had happened and shook himself all over them before transforming back into his human form, looking extremely grumpy.

"Sirius, I did warn you that there would be an early start." Said Marius

"Early, before midday not early before dawn." Grumbled Sirius, he looked resentfully at Remus, who had just kicked him, "What did you do that for?"

"Because your being a moody git" said Remus, "Marius do you think that we could stick him in the shower?"

Sirius groaned.

"Yes we'll put him in the shower; he'll need a haircut and change of clothes as well"

"What's wrong with my clothes?" protested Sirius.

"You look like a tramp." Tonks informed him

"Thanks! See if I defend you to lovebirds from Ted now." Said Sirius childishly.

Remus and Tonks glanced at each other puzzled, "Sirius, we've only just got together, and we haven't told anyone." Tonks said.

"Ah yes must you forget _mes Amis_ I am Sirius Orion Black, matchmaker extraordinaire, it's been painfully obvious for the past month that my sweet little cousin has a crush on Moonykins"

Remus glared at him, "I thought we agreed that that nickname didn't was out of bounds."

Sirius shrugged and Tonks poked him with her wand until they reached a spacious bathroom.

"Now Sirius," said Remus patronisingly, "This is a shower, do you remember how to use it?"

"Cause it certainly doesn't smell like it" said Tonks cheerfully.

Sirius glared at them and went to shut the door, Marius stopped in just long enough to say, "Don't cut your hair and beard yourself, we'll get Agalia do it, we don't want you looking like a member of the weird sisters!" before Sirius locked the door with a huff. Thirty seconds later the shower started and the three of them started away to leave Sirius to shower in peace.

"I should probably wake Agalia up if she's going to cut Sirius's hair." Said Marius, he turned to them rather awkwardly, "If it wouldn't offend you, would you mind both borrowing some robes? I've got a load of my brothers' and sister's and I think it would probably be to your advantage if you don't turn up wearing what you currently are."

They glanced down at their outfits, Remus in his threadbare fawn suit and Tonks in her jeans and black jacket.

"Where can we change?" Remus asked.

They came back down from one of the spare rooms into the kitchen half an hour later to find a grumpy Agalia attacking an equally grumpy Sirius (who was dressed in his grandfather's best formal robes) with a pair of scissors. She was nearly done and had succeeded in getting his hair to shoulder length and had was midway through shaving the matted beard off with an old fashioned razor.

"Sirius I swear if you do not keep still, I will commit homicide and claim that the razor slipped" Agalia said in a tone of immense exasperation. He stopped struggling and she shaved the last bits of soapy hair off his chin. Remus waved his wand and Sirius's hair dried. Agalia instantly attacked it with a brush and succeeded in tying it back neatly with a black velvet ribbon. She then turned and appraised Remus and Tonks, who were now resplendent in Forest Green and Midnight Blue robes.

"Remus, you're fine... unless you want me to try dyeing it to remove some of the grey."

He very politely said, "No thanks" and she moved onto Tonks, "Right, you'll do except from the hair, go for your natural colour."

Tonks obediently changed it from her usual vivid pink to a light brown, Remus smiled at her, she looked beautiful.

"Mind out of gutter, Moony" said Sirius, striding past him to the front door, "You need to keep your mind on the mission not the misses"

Remus kicked him again as the five of them made their way onto the front drive, gripping each other, Remus said, "One, Two, Three" and they apparated away.

They arrived with a crack outside the large oak front doors of The Riddle House and Marius knocked smartly, they waited a minute before they heard a "If you're going to be so pathetic Wormtail, I might as well hand you to them as a gesture of goodwill" and Lord Voldemort answered the door. Remus and Sirius tightened their grips on their wands but Marius just rolled his eyes and he and Agalia marched past them, saying "Nice to see you again, Tom" and shaking Voldemort's hand before going to find Maggie. Voldemort raised an eyebrow and turned away leaving the door open. Remus, Sirius and Tonks grasped every last inch of Gryffindor (and Hufflepuff) courage and stepped into the den of snakes.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Apologies for the gap, I had exams- if I get an A on by English Lit exam I will be eternally grateful to Tom Hiddleston and Richard Armitage and I will declare it as a grade in fangirling! Anyhow onto the chapter!**

Remus, Sirius and Tonks stepped into the dining room, to find Voldemort sitting, staring intently at the first page of the Daily Prophet, Pettigrew cowering in a corner of the room, Maggie being hugged by her parents and Harry, unharmed and half-asleep.

Sirius changed into his animagi form and scampered over to him, licking his face until Harry mumbled, "Padfoot, I love you too, get off me" then he changed back into his human form and threw his arms around the fourteen year old.

"I've been so worried, Harry."

"Really?" Harry mumbled into his shoulder.

Sirius retreated slightly to look Harry directly in the eye, "Harry James Potter, I have cared for you from the moment James announced to a crowed Muggle pub that he was going to be a father and drunkenly asked me to be your godfather, even in a state of immense inebriation I was absolutely delighted, even when I had to swap places with your Dad at your mum's bedside when she was giving birth to you because she'd already fractured James's hand, I have never been so happy as when James handed you to me with the words, "Oy! Padfoot meet your Godson" I am never going to stop caring about you kiddo, even when I couldn't be there for you because of a backstabbing git," He glared at Pettigrew, "I wanted to be there for you, I know that Petunia was a neglectful cow, but you're never going back there, and hell if it means having to work with Snake face over there I will be there for you."

Harry gave Sirius a tight hug and sobbed into his shoulder. Remus and Tonks moved closer to them and Remus said, "Padfoot, I seem to remember James's next words after "meet you're Godson" were "Are you crying you sentimental git?"

Harry laughed weakly and Remus and Tonks left Harry and Sirius be, instead walking over to corner of the room where Peter cowered. He winced away from Remus and therefore was not expecting Tonks to kick him in the crotch in her stiletto heels. Voldemort looked over in interest, "It's universally proven then Black women are more powerful and less cowardly than the men"

"Is this insult Sirius day or something?" he said indignantly.

"Its official weren't you aware?" said Agalia jokingly, "Bellatrix installed it when you were seven and I think Snape is the current pioneer of the day"

Sirius scowled and then said in a whine, "Harry they're bullying me, make them stop."

Harry smiled and said nothing. Maggie watched him sadly, so young to have lost so much and suffered so greatly. Then she realized that the room had gone silent and it was apparently her job to manage the insanity that she was certain would ensue.

"I'm glad that you have all decided to come, and you will all be told the roles that you are to fulfil shortly, firstly as a measure of goodwill, does anyone have any objections to the piece of vermin in the corner being deposited in the centre of the ministry?"

"Nope," said Sirius grimly.

"I no longer require his services." Said Voldemort simply.

Pettigrew started to protest and was quickly hit by three silencing charms, a stunning spell and the cruciatus which came not from Voldemort but from Sirius who received stern glares from Remus, Marius and Agalia, an approving glance from Voldemort and a look of half amusement and half exasperation from Tonks and Harry.

"What?" Sirius protested, "I remembered not to kill him didn't I?"

Marius coughed something that sounded suspiciously like "You're mother's son"

Maggie scowled at Marius, "Portkey please Tom"

Voldemort cast "Portus" on a spoon and they placed it in the unconscious Wormtail's mouth, within a couple of seconds he vanished. Maggie hit Sirius on the back of the head, "Do you have a brain in there Sirius? Do you want to get sent back to Azkaban?"

Harry scowled at Maggie and Sirius mumbled "Sorry"

Maggie rolled her eyes, "Right, thanks for being here, Remus and Tonks as you can see, Harry is safe and well and his not being tortured, starved or mistreated in any way. Consequently I hope that neither of you will make the fatal mistake of betraying Operation MindFuck, to He-Who-Cannot-Be-Avoided aka Dumbledore"

"No intention to" said Tonks brightly. Remus just nodded, his amber eyes fixed on Maggie's blue ones, his hand slipping into Tonks'.

Maggie's lips twitched at the sight but she continued regardless of the lovely blackmail material just in front of her, "Dumbledore will, in all probability attempt to use the wizengamot to reverse Harry's adoption and will aim to either send Harry to live with the Weasley's or return him to the Dursley's"

Sirius's tensioned and Harry gave him a hug. Tonks frowned, "It's ridiculous? What reason would Dumbledore have for returning him to the Dursley's if he doesn't want to go?"

Voldemort answered her, "There is a set of blood wards that were enacted by Lily's death meaning that Harry is supposedly safe as long as he is in the home of a blood relative."

"A set of blood wards that absolutely nothing to protect him from the greatest threat as you're a blood relative" said Remus wryly.

"Dumbledore's being utterly ridiculous about this entire thing, why on earth could he expect the Dursley woman to look after Harry, from what Maggie's told me she hated magic." Said Agalia.

"She hated me," Harry said hollowly, "Maggie said she called every year to see whether she could get rid of me, they didn't let me out of the cupboard until the letters started coming."

Remus looked reproachfully at Maggie as Agalia enveloped Harry in a hug and Sirius began gritting his teeth and grasping the handle of his wand. Voldemort had stood up.

"Where on earth are you going?" Maggie said.

"I just have to go and murder my other niece." He said darkly.

"Why?"

Voldemort glared at her, "It may or may not be known to you, but I take child abuse rather seriously, and I'll be dammed if I let these muggles get away with it!"

"Sit down!" Maggie said, "Firstly if you hadn't been so pigheaded as to listen to that stupid prophecy in the first place we wouldn't be in this situation. Secondly if you murder the Dursley's I can't get you out of it, you lose all chance of keeping guardianship and Harry goes to live with that red-headed bitch! Clear? Sit!"

Voldemort sat down, the room was stunned into silence as Maggie calmed down, then Harry said slightly accusatorily, "What prophecy?"

Voldemort rolled his eyes, "Fantastic, Dumbledore didn't even tell him that."

Maggie glared at Voldemort and gathering all her patience prepared to divulge the secret that hung over a fourteen year olds life, however Marius got there ahead of her.

"Harry, listen carefully," he said gently, "You have to understand that divination is a complete load of rubbish and therefore it actually counts for nothing."

"You're saying that my parents died for nothing?" Harry said angrily

"Of course not," interjected Agalia, "They died to protect you. He killed them for nothing."

Maggie gazed at the teenager and said slowly, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..."

Harry gazed at her, "But doesn't that mean we've got to defeat each other?"

Marius gently laughed, "Harry, that prophecy was made by Sybil Trelawney, an alcoholic charlatan. A real seer doesn't need to go into trances to predict the future, they just know. They always speak the truth about what is to come and consciously say it, even if they are the only ones who know that it is the truth, trust me I know."

Harry stared at him amazed, "You're a seer?"

"Yes, and in all my life I have only told false prophecy once."

"When was that?" Harry asked.

"I believe I informed a completely ravishing sixteen year old squib that I was going to marry her." Marius mused, "I did of course." He said glancing at the faintly blushing Agalia, "However I cannot tell my own future and therefore I didn't know. I think it worked out exceptionally well all things considered"

Harry smiled as Sirius mimed vomiting behind Marius's back, then he looked puzzled, "But if Trelawney's a fraud, how did she know about Wormtail and Sirius in third year."

Marius frowned slightly, "I'm afraid I can't guess that one, the first prophecy was probably made up knowing the death toll, the need for hope and the announcement section of The Daily Prophet, combined with common knowledge that Lily and James were supporters of Dumbledore and liked winding up death eaters and getting away with it. I imagine that Dumbledore was so tired and fed up that he took the oppotunity."

"I might know about the second one," said Sirius sheepishly, "She was rather fond of inhabiting the Hog's Head and..."

"So were you. For Merlin's sake Sirius!" Said Remus exasperated, "Just how many people did you reveal your animagi form to while you were drunk? Trelawney isn't even attractive enough to merit it as a chat up line."

"Let me finish Remus," Sirius said indignantly, "I revealed my animagus form to her in '79 but she remembered, I spent most of 93-94 in Trewlaney's tower. It was hilarious when she was drunk, kept screaming about seeing the grim."

Maggie rolled her eyes, "Can we get back to the reason that we're all here? Dumbledore will take this to trial. Voldemort your job is to appear as normal and innocent as possible. Harry, tell them that Voldemort is caring for you better than the Dursley's. Sirius, please appear sober and for don't argue against us. Remus and Tonks we need you as witnesses. Clear?"

There was a general indication in the affirmative and Maggie continued, "Excellent that will ensure that Dumbledore has no choice but to bring out the anti-Squib legislation. Mum and Dad your job is to kick up as much fuss as possible when that happens. Let me do the rest."

"Right" said Sirius cheerfully, "If that's it then. Can I just nip back home to get my broom and hippogriff. Buckbeak doesn't really like being cooped up in Mums old room and this place is big enough to play indoor Quiddich in." Without waiting for an answer he dashed out of the room.

"Fancy going for a walk in the garden?" Maggie said, "It's nice and big and the grounds are beautiful after a week of me weeding." Marius, Tonks, Agalia and Remus walked out of the dining room towards the garden.

Voldemort thudded his head down on the table and groaned. Nagini slithered up his legs onto the table and gazed at him quizzically. "Nagini, I'm being invaded by inbred lunatics"

Harry smirked at him, "just watch out for the brooms."

As he said that Sirius rushed back into the room his ancient Comet 160 under his arm and a travel sick hippogriff following him. Voldemort raised his head, muttered "I'll be in the study" and left with Nagini trailing after him. Harry smirked after him, revenge for ten years at the Dursley's, irritating the dark lord without risk of death or dismemberment and hanging out with his Godfather, Remus and the craziest family under the sun. It was going to be the best summer ever.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was sat in his office scanning through his final draft of a legal document that would hopefully bring the boy-who-lived back where he was meant to be. Molly Weasley and Alastor Moody had agreed to act as witnesses to ensure that the light won this case. He had a long letter from Fudge protesting that the case was preposterous as Voldemort wasn't back. Albus imagined that Fudge would have rather an unpleasant surprise when Voldemort walked into the court room. It was a pity, he thought, that Sirius Black and Remus Lupin and Nymphodora Tonks would be sent to Azkaban for the role they now must be playing, they hadn't been seen for four days and their belongings and Buckbeak the Hippogriff had vanished. Albus could only assume that they had jumped ship, in order to maintain contact with Harry. It would be such a pity when Remus and Tonks had been so useful and Tonks had so much potential, however blood and monstrous nature will out, it was all to easy to accuse a black or a werewolf of treachery and he couldn't see the courts favouring Sirius, the man was alcoholic and insane, it would be only too easy to arrange for Tonks, Remus and Sirius to pay a permanent visit to Bellatrix, perhaps it was for the best, the Malfoy boy was hardly likely to survive the war to continue the incestuous ancient family. Who on earth would want to encourage the survival of the Black family anyway?


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Anyone fancy BETAing? PM me ****-Rita**

Sirius had been dressed by Agalia and Maggie in a set of black dress robes, his appearance had been groomed until he was absolutely immaculate, a state which he couldn't remember being. He was also completely sober, which was quite a shock; he had been living out of a whisky bottle since Azkaban. Court summons had arrived on Harry's belated fifteenth birthday party, the week before, a simple message informing them that they should be present in courtroom five on the 20th August at 9am. Maggie had immediately forced them into rehearsal, they had spent twelve hours a day ensuring that in Voldemort's case his fabricated story was believable and in everyone else's case that they told the truth, didn't mumble and didn't incriminate themselves. Sirius was sat on the end of a row of chairs in front of the entire wizengamot. Fudge was sat in his bottle green robes and bowler hat with a gavel in his hand with Amelia Bones, who was sat scowling over her monocle and Dolores Umbridge who was eyeing the glamorised Voldemort with a disturbing look in her eye. Harry squeezed Sirius's hand, more to calm himself down than Sirius then Fudge banged three times and the previously gossiping courtroom jolted to attention.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Fudge said in a pompous tone, "We are here today to hear the case concerning the guardianship of Harry James Potter, acting as Judge Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Court Scribe Percy Ignatius Weasley. Acting as attorney Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and Medeia Clytemnestra Black. Mr Potter's current guardian is one Thomas Marvelo Riddle, who I believe is a maternal great-uncle." He said shuffling through his papers, "Firstly, Professor Dumbledore, I have to ask what your objection is to Mr Riddle being Mr Potter's guardian, apart from that rubbish about him being he-who-must-not-be-named."

The court laughed feebly as Dumbledore tried to protest. The handsome face of Tom Riddle smirked at the man who had judged him since he was eleven years old then he stood and removed the glamour charm that had shown him to be the handsome Tom Riddle. The court room turned to gasps and shrieks as his serpentine features were revealed.

"I don't understand..." blustered Fudge, as the toad like under-sectary fainted clean away.

"It's fairly simple actually minister." Voldemort said, "You see Tom Marvolo Riddle rather neatly anagrams as 'I am Lord Voldemort'"

"Your...back?"

Voldemort sighed, "Technically I never went away, simply on holiday."

Fudge was turning a mixture of purple with anger and white with shock, it was a rather interesting sight that made it look as though someone had poured blackcurrant ice cream over him. He turned to Dumbledore and hissed, "How in the name of Morgana's saggy left breast did you-know-who gain custody of Harry Potter?"

"The answer to that is quite simple Minister," said Maggie, her patent black heels clicking as she stepped forward, "Mr Riddle gained guardianship of his great-nephew, because Petunia Dursley with whom Mr Dumbledore placed Harry proved by social services to be an unfit guardian."

Fudge gazed at her owlishly, Percy spilled ink all over his notes in his haste to get Maggie's words down and Dumbledore gazed at her as though he had only just realised she was there.

"Perhaps Minister," said Maggie, "You'd like to hear from Harry about his life at the Dursley's and his life since he's moved in with his Uncle Tom."

"Yes, yes, yes." Said Fudge absently.

Harry stepped forward to sit down in the central chair which thankfully didn't chain him to it, taking a deep breath apparently with nerves but in reality to stop himself laughing at the prospect of calling Lord Voldemort 'Uncle Tom' in front of Dumbledore.

"Right Harry," said Fudge with the soppy paternalistic smile that had been his normal expression when talking to Harry before the third task on his face, "Can you tell all the Ladies and Gentlemen here what you think of your change in circumstance?"

"Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept me in a cupboard until my Hogwarts letter arrived and then they only let me out due to fear that someone would come and turn them into newts." He met Dumbledore's eyes, "They always treated me as something unwanted or abnormal, I spent most of my childhood wearing Dudley's castoffs, being made to cook, clean and do the gardening whilst Dudley sat around getting fat. They allowed Marge Dursley to get away with hitting me and setting her dog on me, Dudley used me as a punching bag and was encouraged by his parents to hit me with blunt objects. When I showed signs of magic I was locked in my cupboard and denied food. Since I moved in with my Uncle Tom, I've have a Birthday party for the first time in fourteen years, I'm fed on a regular basis without the quantity of food diminishing in order to keep Dudley happy. Last summer I only survived to the Quiddich world cup because Ron, Hermione, Hagrid and Sirius sent me food. In second year when Dobby levitated dessert I was locked in my room, barely fed and bars were put on my window. With my Great-Uncle I play Quiddich, I'm allowed to read my text books and I'm surrounded my an utterly bonkers by loving family in contrast to the relatives who have been trying to get rid of me since the day Dumbledore left me on their doorstep."

The courtroom was muttering and a couple of ladies at the back were gently sobbing. Fudge with the fatherly smile still on his face gestured for Harry to go back to his seat.

"Dumbledore, is there an explanation you can provide?" he blustered, "We were all told that the boy-who-lived was safe. That was the agreement when you informed my predecessor that Harry Potter could not go and live with the numerous wizarding families who offered to adopt him."

Dumbledore stepped forward and said in a sanctimonious voice, "Harry was placed with his Aunt Petunia because the night Lily Potter was murdered by Lord Voldemort her sacrificed formed a set of blood wards that protect Harry as long as he calls Privit drive home."

"Objection, your honour." Maggie said, "What evidence is there that Lily Potter died at the hands of her uncle? James Potter was a hot-headed individual, he may have found out who his wife was related to and Lily killed him to save herself and Harry, then knowing that she was in danger of Harry being sent to live with...The Lestrange's for example, if she was discovered and sent to Azkaban she enacted the soul binding ritual detailed on page 263 of Magik Moste Evil, a book that can easily be found in the Hogwarts library ladies and gentlemen, and cast it binding her Uncle, her sole remaining relative that she could be sure would care for Harry, to her son at the cost of her own life. This is of course just a theory...but so to his most of what the opposing council has come up with."

The court was muttering and Harry was looking and Maggie with a look of pride and wariness as to what she would do next. Dumbledore said, "I maybe as incorrect about this as Reginald Plumberry was when he decided that training hags to sing oratorios was a good idea, however all the evidence that I have seen since I first met Mr Riddle and then Mr Potter leads me to conclude that the first is a mass murdering maniac and the second is a teenager who needs to be looked after than someone other than a homicidal lunatic."

Maggie seized her chance by its metaphorical testicles, "You're implying Mr Dumbledore that your judgement of my client is fixed on your meeting with an eleven year old who had been abandoned at an orphanage and had no experience of being able to trust adults, which hardly seems objective of you."

Harry just about managed to refrain from looking absolutely incredulous at Maggie's presentation of Lord Voldemort as Oliver Twist.

"besides Mr Dumbledore under your blood ward theory, my client is capable of protecting Harry as a maternal relative which is more than any candidate for Harry's guardianship that you can come up with...unless you intend to return Harry to his relatives, who as we have just heard having been consistently neglectful and abusive ever since the day you dumped Harry on Petunia Dursley's doorstep."

Dumbledore met Maggie's eyes with a piecing glace, "It was for the greater good"

Harry sat, he could not belief he had just heard the words come out of Dumbledore's mouth, when Maggie had told him that they were Dumbledore's words he hadn't fully believed her. To hear the excruciating phrase come out of the old man's mouth was the last pebble to strike Harry's cracking sense of morality, as he sat with Maggie and Dumbledore continuing to spar verbally he came to realize something: Voldemort was wrong to say that there is only power but Dumbledore was wrong to say that ends always justify the means. Morality, he thought is entirely objective. Maggie's angry voice smashed through his wandering concentration.

"Mr Dumbledore, why on earth would the Weasley family be better equipped to look after Harry than his Great Uncle? The Weasley's are piss poor, they have more than enough kids already without adding Harry to it and if your suggestion would be that Harry use his vaults to lessen the financial strain let me remind you that the 27th clause of the treaty agreement that ended the third goblin war in 1332 clearly states that underage wizards are banned from entering financial negotiations which lending money in this case would be. "

Dumbledore scowled at her but seemed to concede the point, he sat back down and Fudge, who had spent the previous two minutes getting a headache listening to the two of them rant, banged his gavel down and winced at the effect on his ears. "We have heard the arguments" he said, "Would the court now vote as to whether to remove guardianship of Harry Potter from Tom Marvolo Riddle"

Maggie could have predicted it from the moment Fudge used the Dark Lords real name, with the exception of Grizelda Marchbanks voted in favour of Voldemort remaining Harry's guardian. Harry grinned at Maggie and hugged everyone, including Voldemort which was one of the most awkward hugs Maggie had ever seen before Sirius yelled "group hug" and almost knocked Harry and Voldemort over in his enthusiasm. Maggie grinned at her family but kept one eye on Dumbledore, he was going to do it, she was sure he was. Sure enough whilst Harry celebrated the angry Dumbledore said the words that were going to change the wizarding world forever: "Actually Minister there is one more thing. I feel that political machinations like this that have such an impact on the wizarding world should therefore only be dealt with by a wizard or witch."

"Quite right," said Fudge, "What is your point Dumbledore?"

"Well minister if someone non-magical had got involved in this affair and even been the chief manipulator of it then surely it would be quite reasonable to sue under the Squib registration act of 1772."

The court room had gone deathly silent.

"Medeia Clytemnestra Black is a Squib."

**The next chapter will not be the big showdown I'm afraid, I find it a bit unreasonable that there would be two major court cases in one day, so Maggie will merely get papers served to her next chapter to give Dumbledore some time to be the manipulative old goat that Harry is going to view him as. **

**P.S hopefully Deatheaters will appear in the next couple of chapters, I think that I'll break Azkaban open earlier than canon simply because I want a Bella/Sirius showdown that doesn't end in Padfoot's death...on slightly related note Bellamort yes or no? Would you like to see Maggie get together with someone if so who? **


	9. Chapter 9

They sat in the Leakey Caldron, Remus and Marius grasping their firewhiskeys as if their lives depended on it and Sirius scowling into the pumpkin juice that had been forced into his hand. Maggie was scanning the documents that detailed the case against her. Dumbledore had, as she predicted, elected to sue her. She hadn't, however, predicted how much time in Azkaban it could cost her if this went horribly wrong. The last case in which the squib registration act had been used in 1882 the penalty had been a year in Azkaban rather than the 25 years that Dumbledore wanted to inflict on her. It had been quite a moment, she had to admit, Fudge had looked reluctant to serve the papers to her (probably because of Lucius Malfoy, his current ventriloquist), however more than half of the Wizengamot had sided in Dumbledore's favor on the matter of Squib interference, so by law there was nothing he could do about it. They sat there for two hours in utter silence before apparating away.

That night they there was a chilled atmosphere around the dinner table, Harry's joy from getting released from Dumbledore's manipulations had vanished at his stark realization at how much it could cost Maggie. Before they reached dessert Voldemort stood up quietly, murmured that there was something he had to attend to, and left the room. They soon heard a loud crack as he apparated away. When they finished mournfully chewing their way through chocolate cake and custard, Remus, with a flick of his wand, set the dishes to wash themselves.

Harry and Sirius got a set of exploding snap cards out and, together with Remus and Tonks, started playing poker with them.. Agalia got out her knitting and set about crocheting Maggie some rainbow striped gloves. Marius and Maggie sat together in the two seats at the end of the table, sufficiently away from the others so that they could talk properly.

"Sweetheart, are you alright?" Marius asked , concerned.

Maggie smiled slightly tensely, "The length of the sentence it would bring if I fail surprised me, I have to admit - a year I could comprehend, twenty five is a little extreme."

Marius smiled wryly, "I think there's a bit of a difference, sweetheart between Benjamin Douglass helping his brother campaign for minister of magic and you revolutionizing the wizarding world. Dumbledore is furious that Harry is out of his reach and there's nothing he can do to amend the situation other than punish the person responsible for outwitting him."

"He did look remarkably and quite satisfyingly pissed off. I wonder what Molly Weasley thinks?"

"I imagine, dear, that that she's cursing your name and using the choicest vocabulary to condemn you in front of her excessive brood."

Maggie smirked, "Those poor children, having to deal with Molly and Muriel and Lucretia Prewett"

"More like poor Orion," Marius said, "The poor sod had Lucretia as his sister, Walburga as his wife and then had to deal with Sirius and Regulus."

"I doubt Regulus had it easy either; Sirius may now be a sight for sore eyes but there's no doubt about it, Sirius was always more talented and much better looking than Regulus and Aunt Cassiopeia didn't help by going on and on about it when we were younger. I suppose I'm lucky in that sense; I always knew there was no way I could achieve Great-Uncle Arcturus's praise simply because I'm a squib and he was a prejudiced old git."

Maggie was quiet for a moment before she said, "Dad? I've done the right thing haven't I?

Marius looked at her quizzically, "Why would you think that you hadn't?"

"For Harry... I'm as bad as Dumbledore; I've used him to achieve my own aims."

Marius grabbed her hand and held it firmly, "Now you listen. Look at him," she gazed down the table, "does he not look happier and better fed than he was before you intervened?"

"He is happier now, but will he be in the future? He's going to go back to school in September with Dumbledore and the vast conglomeration of Weasley's, what's he going to think then?"

"We'll reach that bridge when we get to it won't we? He's friends with that Muggleborn girl as well isn't he? Hermione Granger. What I think we should do is get his friends on side. Ronald Weasley may be Molly Prewett's son but he is still Arthur Weasley's son and if nothing else, from what Sirius has told me of Miss Granger, she keeps both Ron and Harry in line. Get her to agree with you and we'll have less of an issue. However at the present time, ensuring that my only child isn't behind bars for the foreseeable future seems like a good idea."

"You're r right Dad," Maggie said. The two of them shuffled down the table towards the others.

"Harry," Maggie said, "If you want to invite your friends over, that would be fine."

"Really?" Harry said, "I know you're not fond of the Weasleys and I'd be fine waiting until..."

"Harry, to be perfectly honest I'd be an utter hypocrite if I didn't allow you to see your friends because of my prejudices. Molly is one thing and unless Ronald is a clone of his mother, I can't really hold it against him and make you uncomfortable inviting your friends over. Besides from what Sirius has told me, Hermione seems like a sensible girl."

Harry ran around to the other side of the table and gave her a hug, Maggie smiled and returned it.

"Have you got a strategy sorted for the case?" Remus asked

"I'll use the Douglass case of 1882 as a precedent in extreme circumstances to get the sentence down to a year, but the result I want is to prove that a lack of magic makes you no less capable in society; I'm wondering if turning it into a big showbiz razzmatazz case and proving that my interference has only had positive results would be a good strategy." Maggie said.

"Possibly," Marius mused, "Although you probably need a few more people reconciling to prove that."

Maggie laughed, "Shall I owl Severus Snape now to ask him to make up with Sirius?"

Sirius interrupted loudly, choking on his own saliva, "What with Snivellus?"

Marius turned to him and said in a tone of utter sarcasm, "Sirius we know how much you want to make up and be best friends with Severus."

"Really? ...how...touching." they all turned extremely rapidly to see Severus Snape glide into the room. Tonks and Remus were so flabbergasted that they failed to get out of the way of the exploding snap deck and lost their eyebrows.

"Shit!" Tonks cursed as she put her eyebrows out and then regrew them.

"Language, Miss Tonks." Snape drawled

"Snivellus "said Sirius said in a strangled voice, "What are you doing here?"

"I invited him," said Voldemort, striding into the room with Nagini around his shoulders, "There's a thing called a dark mark, Black and when I wish to hold a homecoming celebration, I prefer it that my...friends are here to celebrate it, they'll all be arriving shortly with families of course."

Harry moaned but only Sirius heard it,

"What's up Prongslet?" he said quietly as Snape sneered at them all, "Draco Malfoy, he'll be coming won't he?"

"Yes," said Sirius bluntly, "It could always be worse - at least Bellatrix won't be here."

"That's not nice at all," said a horrible babyish voice, "My wittle cousin doesn't want to see me? And my cousins and my niece are looking so grown up and wittle baby Potter isn't such a baby any more is he?"

It was as if Sirius's worst nightmare had come to life. Bellatrix Lestrange, dressed in a greying striped prison dress with her long black hair a tangled mess and a mocking smile on her lips, stepped into the room, flanked by her husband and brother in law. She staggered towards the table, her legs unused to movement. She threw her arms around Marius who flinched for a moment and then hugged her back. She turned and smirked at Maggie showing her yellowing teeth. "Hello Media, did you miss me?"

Maggie gazed at her, slightly stunned and then her eyes drifted to Voldemort who seemed to be having the time of his life, surrounded once more by his followers, Dolohov, Macnair, Mulciber, etc. Bellatrix dragged her over to greet Narcissa who had walked in clasping her son's arm. Draco had gone very white seeing Harry but Marius swept over to his niece and great-nephew, hugged Narcissa, and firmly grasped Draco's shoulder steering him towards Harry.

"Draco," he said, "This is Harry. Whatever has passed between you before no longer counts; I do not want you fighting and I doubt Tom does either."

They glanced at each other mistrustfully for a moment before Tonks threw her arms around Draco and dragged both him and Harry into a game of snap.

Maggie stood smiling politely at all the convicts around her, keeping an eye on Sirius to ensure that he did not murder Snape without Voldemort's permission.

Then someone who shouldn't have been there stepped into the room. Someone who was dead by any record. Someone who was right here. The room went deadly silent as the occupants slowly noticed the figure. Voldemort drew out his wand, Narcissa fainted, and Bellatrix went chalk white. Snape's black eyes stared inscrutably and Sirius, ever the master of tact simply uttered, "Bloody Hell!"

**Who is it?**

**Massive thanks to Feminist4ever for BETAing for me!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Drop your wands!" he said, his hands in the air, "I have every right to be here...I still have the dark mark don't I?"

"Regulus Black...Why are you here?" Voldemort snarled.

Thirty four year old Regulus Arcturus Black stood in the doorway, his black hair neatly tied back and his aristocratic good looks only slightly marred by a white scar that trailed down his face from his ear to his chin. Twelve years in the south of France rather than Azkaban had ensured that Regulus was now the better looking Black brother.

He looked directly at the dark lord."I set out sixteen years ago to rid the world of evil so that someone very dear to me could grow up in a safer world. I very nearly lost my life and was forced to lose contact with my wife, child and the rest of my family and yet it turns out that it was actually rather pointless as Maggie has sorted everything out anyway" He said bitterly, "Here, catch." Regulus threw something small at the dark lord. Voldemort stared at it and then looked murderously at Regulus,

"How did you discover this?"

"It's called logic;" Regulus said calmly, "There had to be a reasonable explanation as to how, when I first met you at the age of eight, you were merely slightly reptilian. By the time I joined your service at the age of sixteen you looked as though you ought to have been in a zoo. It has to be some higher form of dark magic and a quest for immortality seemed the most reasonable option, The Black family library was rather useful, as was poor Kreacher."

"The House Elf told you?"

"House Elves are supremely loyal to members of the family that they like," Regulus said, looking pointedly at Sirius, "I am Kreacher's master; he told me everything that happened on your little trip with him. Have you told your nephew why you survived that night?"

Voldemort scowled. Harry stood up from his place playing cards and walked towards Voldemort.

"What do you mean Mr Black?" Harry asked.

Regulus gazed thoughtfully at the fifteen year old, "Your great-uncle," he said scathingly, "Survived attempting to kill you because he split his soul into multiple pieces."

Bellatrix gaped at Voldemort in realization and then went down onto her knees in front of him, "Master, I was not aware how truly great an honour you have bestowed upon me." Lucius glanced at Narcissa and winced; perhaps it was time for them to relocate somewhere far, far away where angry dark lords wouldn't find out about the destruction of a certain diary.

Regulus walked over and dragged Bellatrix back on her feet, "Bella you're a Black we bow to no one."

Bellatrix squinted at Regulus suspiciously, "What happened to you Regulus? You're different."

"I grew up" he said simply.

Sirius let out a canine-like whimper and sprinted over to his younger brother and gave him a hug yelling the words, "You utter prick! Never leave me again."

Regulus hugged him but then prised his older brother off, "Siri, I seem to remember it was you that did a bunk and left me."

"I was only at the Potters though," Sirius whined, "You were being dead!"

Maggie looked at her cousins and laughed gently, Regulus and Sirius turned to look at her, "What is it?"

"Black Family reunion and we haven't managed to kill each other yet" Regulus gave Maggie a hug; when he'd released her she said seriously, "Regulus... what did you say about a wife and child?"

Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "You knocked someone up Reg?"

Maggie hit him and Bellatrix sent a furunculous curse at him causing him to sprout interesting boils all over his face.

Regulus grinned at his brother's misfortune and said, "Yes I did, when I fled England she had just told me that she was pregnant."

"Regulus jnr's probably in Harry's year then!" Sirius said boisterously.

"Yes he is..." Regulus said quietly.

"You've been to see him then?" questioned Maggie.

"Yes, She's remarried of course, but he has the proper Black good looks and they look...happy at least."

"Who gave birth to the Black Heir, Regulus?" asked Bellatrix in a low, dangerous voice, her wand hand twitching.

"Someone whom you will go nowhere near Bellatrix; if you aim to hurt her, I'm warning you I..."

"Still love her." Snape said strolling casually towards them, "How...interesting. Well Bellatrix, who is in Potter and Draco's year whose parentage is questionable? It's certainly not any of my Slytherin's; we tend to be aware of any of bastard snakes." Regulus glared at him. "Hufflepuff? Not really... Ravenclaw could be a possibility except Kevin Entwhistle's father is the spitting image of him; I learned that having to show the brat around Diagon Ally. So Regulus...you evidently spawned a Gryffindor, congrat..."

Harry interrupted, "Dean. Dean Thomas is your son. It can't be Neville or Ron; everyone knows who their parents are and Seamus is far too short to be a Black."

Bellatrix's face contorted in horror, "You married some Muggle slut? Who named the heir of the house of Black Dean?"

"Clarissa is not a slut," said Regulus sharply, "She was twenty five when I married her; she thought I was older than seventeen. I gave the fake name of Gary Jameson and she married me. "

Bellatrix pursed her lips in disgust but still said, "You meet him and when he comes to dinner at Christmas, he gets renamed something more appropriate for formal settings. Otherwise I might be tempted to convince Kreacher that you ought to be blasted off the family tree."

Sirius quirked his head comically, "What's more appropriate Bellatrix? Hephaestus? Aeschylus? Elvendork?"

Bellatrix looked at Sirius in disgust "You haven't changed at all have you?"

"Nope!" he said cheerfully. Maggie raised her eyebrow sceptically; it was apparent to her that Sirius hadn't come out of Azkaban unscathed.

She left Bellatrix and Sirius to reconcile and hoped that Regulus and Harry would stop them killing each other; she wandered over to Voldemort who had taken his seat in a high backed arm chair with Nagini acting as a leg warmer.

"I suppose you're going to inform me that I can't murder traitors aren't you?" he said darkly.

"I'd advise against it." She said. She looked down at the locket that he was fiddling with, "What's that?"

"It was my mother's locket" he said in a tone that could almost be mistaken for sadness, "She was left destitute when my father abandoned her. She sold her last family heirloom in order to keep herself alive long enough to give birth to me. Caractacus Burke paid her a pittance for it." He held it up for her to see, "It's Salazar Slytherin's, it's priceless."

"And that's why you decided it would be a good place to keep your soul?"

"It's a sure fire way of avoiding dementor attacks," he said sarcastically.

"Very funny," she said, sitting down next to him. "Look, I know that finding your hidey-hole and stealing the precious wasn't a particularly smart thing for Regulus to do but you haven't killed Sirius yet, give him a chance, he was just doing what he thought was best for his family." She looked at him with a mixture of pity and disgust, "And ultimately is it really a good idea to kill far too many people so that you can survive"

He looked at her curiously, "You're cousin tortured two people into insanity and you reconcile with her and yet I disgust you for killing so that I may survive?"

"Frank and Alice Longbottom retaining sanity would have resulted in more death eaters being given the kiss or killed on the spot. At least with them locked up in St Mungo's the "any-one-in-Slytherin-is-evil" group lost most of their influence, Bellatrix probably saved some people's lives. Whereas you...You kill and all that happens is that you become less human, If you can't feel any emotion, what is the use in seeking revenge?"

For a moment she thought he was going to kill her but he released his grip on his wand and said,

"I will consider remorse..." he trailed off thoughtfully but then said in slightly too pleasant voice, "Can we at least inform Dumbledore that Regulus... reproduced at your trial? The expression on his face would be almost as amusing as if he discovered that I had reproduced. Which contrary to your cousin's opinion is never going to happen, particularly not with her."

Maggie grinned, "Remind me to tell dad, mind bleach not required because Voldemort has taste; Bella is a completely different matter."

Voldemort shuddered, "You would have thought that after twenty six years of marriage she would have developed some moderate affection for Rodulphus and would have ended her infatuation with someone older than her father."

Maggie shrugged, "Much weirder things have happened in the Black Family, Orion and Walburga for a start."

"And I suppose you're the weirdest?"

"Squib takes on wizarding world...it would be nice if it wasn't the weirdest thing."

Voldemort considered carefully, "You're far too valuable as an ally to waste in letting you go to Azkaban. We need a solid strategy and lots of witnesses and a very gullible jury. "

"That's Lucius's job, isn't it?" Maggie said laughing.

Voldemort rolled his eyes, "He is reaching the end of his...usefulness and I can't see his son being any more promising."

"Who knows?" Maggie remarked, "He could surprise you"

"Miss Black, I taught him from the back of Quirinius Quirell's head for a year. He moaned and boasted the entire way though my lessons."

Maggie laughed, "I can imagine you teaching, using the cruciatus curse on Hufflepuffs for giving the wrong answer."

"It's what I wanted to do; I applied twice for the Defence Against the Dark Arts job."

Maggie narrowed her eyes, "So you're the reason that that poor Gilderoy Lockhart ended up in St Mungo's."

Voldemort groaned, "The man was an absolute fraud; Malfoy Jnr could have done a better job teaching."

Maggie Laughed at the thought of Draco dressed in Dumbledore's hideous robes waving his wand around in an abstract circle. As she was laughing a black owl fluttered in and landed in front of her. In its beak were two letters- one in a red envelope and one in a black one. The moment she touched the red envelope there was an explosion of noise as Molly Weasley's unnecessarily magnified voice echoed around the room.

"_YOU TREACHEROUS WHORE! I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE THINKING! YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING THAT SO MANY PEOPLE LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR! DO THEIR SACRIFICES MEAN NOTHING TO YOU? DOES HARRY KNOW THAT YOU'VE SINGLE-HANDEDLY OBLITERATED HIS MOTHER'S LEGACY? HOW YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO INTERFERE LIKE THIS ONLY MERLIN KNOWS! HOW MANY LIVES WILL NOW BE LOST BECAUSE OF YOU? YOU'RE AS BAD AS BELLATRIX, NO WORSE, DRAGGING SIRIUS AND POOR TONKS AND REMUS INTO IT TOO. HARRY DESERVES A PROPER HOME NOT ONE CONSTRUCTED FOR HIM BY SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A MATERNAL BONE IN HER BODY! I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A SHRED OF DECENCY SOMEWHERE IN YOUR SOULD TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR HARRY'S SAKE!"_

The scarlet envelope burned away but not before constructing it's self into a quite realistic hand that gave her and Voldemort a two fingered salute. Trembling slightly she turned now to the black envelope. The room was silent and her mother and Tonks were looking at her with some concern. She opened it to read a simple but damming message in elegant handwriting.

_Dear Miss Black,_

_I am prepared to give you an ultimatum:_

_Return Harry to his rightful home with people who only want what is best for him, and the charges against you will be dropped. Should you fail to return Harry and drop this nonsense you are currently pursuing then I can assure you that I will push for the longest sentence possible and I'm sure you do not want to have regular encounters with Dementors for the probable rest of your life._

_Think carefully Miss Black, you have one week to decide._

_Albus Dumbledore_

_Headmaster of Hogwarts_

_Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot _

_Supreme Mugwump _

She stared down at the letter in her hand and grew furious; this was his final card- blackmail.

Voldemort took the letter off her, read it and then burned it with a wave of his wand.

"My friends," he said in an ominous tone, "The old goat seeks to blackmail Miss Black into returning Harry to his supposed rightful place. We will not stand for this! Everyone will be back here at 9 O' clock tomorrow morning to prepare for the greatest legal battle in History. Lucius, inform Fudge to get the right wing of the Wizengamot on our side. Severus, round up any Squib'-s that you are acquainted with and persuade them to our cause. Harry and Draco - as many Hogwarts students as possible that possess brain cells; I don't care what house they're in. Bellatrix, Sirius, Regulus and Marius- Blackmail material and for Merlin's sake make yourselves look like a happy family unit, brought together by Maggie. The rest of you start canvassing support, we are not letting Dumbledore get away with this. Clear?"

There was a mumbled, "Yes my lord" and a louder "Wotcher, Chief!" from Sirius and Tonks before the majority of the death eaters apparated away. Marius rushed over to his daughter and hugged her tightly, "Maggie? Are you going to be alright?"

Harry walked over and said quietly, "He's trying to blackmail you into returning me isn't he?"

Maggie got Marius to release her and turned to Harry and said quietly, "Yes he is. But you are not going back there right? If you want to stay here you're staying here."

Harry nodded resolutely.

"Besides," Maggie said, "It's far too late not to risk everything now. The die is cast. Bring it on."

**Well done to everyone who guessed it was Regulus, have a virtual coconut. Thank you for the majority for your reviews, to the one individual who seems to have missed the point of constructive criticism- hint: tact is a many splendored thing. I shall respond to you though as there has been more than one person who has criticised my science in chapter one. DNA in forensics was first used in the 1980's and if you do your research you'd find out as I did that DNA profiling can be used for cases over 50 years old- as occurs in this story. Furthermore it is entirely possible to collect DNA from skeletons as recently occurred with Richard III. Finally- this is a fantasy story; does the accuracy of my science particularly matter? **

**Thank you once again to feminist4ever for being my amazing BETA!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Albus Dumbledore scowled down at the sarcastically worded letter that was one the desk in front of him. The reply had evidently been written by a conglomeration of individuals as the tone varied from downright crude (probably Sirius) to more subtle references to senility and castration (Marius and Agalia Black respectively. There had also been a short note from Harry at the end, which had simply said "Dear Sir, I appreciate your concern for my wellbeing but it is unnecessary. Therefore I would suggest that you drop the lawsuit against Maggie. Yours Harry Potter." The Boy had become far too rebellious under the influence of too many Blacks and with the recent breakout from Azkaban which had taken them all by surprise. Severus had told him in June that Voldemort would need at least six months to recover from the resurrection ceremony before he attempted to break his loyal followers out of the fearsome wizarding prison. However, apparently Agalia Black's cooking was sufficiently good that he had achieved the required strength within two months, a worrying sign, for if he had the strength now to break into Azkaban, how much more power could he gather?

There was a knock on the door. When Kreacher, the house elf had realised that his master had finally pleased his beloved mistress in joining 'Miss Bella' and 'Miss Cissy' in serving the Dark Lord he had taken the prerogative in assuming that his now grudgingly admired master would no longer appreciate his opposition squatting in the Black Family house, he had had great pleasure in banishing the entire order from the house. Therefore, the order had been forced to meet in Hogwarts' great hall to Mr Filch's displeasure.

"Come in" Dumbledore said, putting the letter in the draw of his desk and fixing a benevolent smile on his face. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger walked into the room; both sunburnt from spending the day sat down at the lake watching Fred and George tickle the giant squid.

"Good evening Miss Granger and Mr Weasley, Thank you for coming to see me this evening."

"Good evening sir" said Hermione politely, elbowing Ron into mumbling "G'evening"

When they had sat awkwardly opposite him he began.

"I understand, Miss Granger and Mr Weasley that you received a letter from Harry this morning, inviting you to meet him at a theme park on Monday."

"Yes Sir and Mr Weasley suggested it would be an opportunity to check that Harry was ok," Hermione said.

"Has Harry told you who else will be there?"

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other and Ron shrugged, "It'll be Sirius, Remus, Tonks and Maggie apparently"

Dumbledore looked at the two of them very seriously, "I have to stress the importance of ensuring you will be safe. I know that you think that you know Remus, Sirius and Tonks but I have to question their sanity and therefore your safety with them. After all they have regretfully decided to join Lord Voldemort."

Hermione considered this for a moment before saying, "Headmaster what if someone from the order came with us, just to ensure that we would be safe."

Dumbledore beamed at her, "I think that is an excellent idea, Miss Granger, I shall ensure that your escort has been briefed. Well then, I imagine that your Mother, Mr Weasley will want the two of you to be heading to bed, tell the houselves that as it is the holidays I think we can be a little remiss and allow hot chocolate to be delivered to the dormitories ."

" Thank you, Good Night Sir." They both said and left the room.

Once he was certain that they were out of earshot he grabbed a handful of floo powder from his desk draw and said sharply, "Alastor Moody, this is Dumbledore I need to speak with you on an urgent matter"

There were several clunks and a flash of green flame and the heavily scarred Alastor Moody stepped through, his heavy wooden staff making the floor vibrate. He stopped a pace in front of the fire place and pointed his gnarled wand at the headmaster.

"When I arrested your younger brother twenty years ago what colour nightgown were you wearing?"

Dumbledore looked Moody straight in the eye, "It was orange and had enchanted sheep that sang twinkle twinkle little star and jumped from sleeve to sleeve. How many pints of mulled mead did Mundungus Fletcher drink at the order Christmas party in 1978?"

"Fifty Six and by the end of the party he was unable to tell the difference between Minerva and Lily's pet cat, the poor creature never recovered from being kissed." He moved forward and gave Dumbledore a one armed hug, "Good to see you Albus. Sorry about dragging up embarrassing memories but it's necessary Albus, Constant Vigilance!" He barked.

He roughly grabbed one of the seats and positioned himself so that his prosthesis was comfortable.

"None of my stuff is the same since that wanker Crouch wore it. No knowledge of leg care at all the feckless bastard"

Dumbledore pretended to have gone temporarily deaf and helped himself to a sherbet lemon from his desk draw; he didn't bother offering one to Moody as it was utterly pointless to offer the paranoid ex-auror anything unless you were prepared to sit through a three hour cross examination of your motives and watch him painstakingly scan the food for toxins.

"Alastor, Miss Granger and Mr Weasley will be visiting a muggle amusement park on Monday with Harry Potter."

"Do you really think that's wise Albus?" Growled Moody, "We don't know what nonsense Voldemort has put into that boys head. Never mind the dark arts training."

"That is why Alastor I ask you to accompany them, Sirius, Remus, Tonks and Maggie are apparently acting as chaperones and I will not allow Miss Black to corrupt anymore children."

"Fine, I'll keep Weasley and Granger safe. As myself or disguised?"

"Disguised would be better Alastor. It will keep them more off guard for a start. I suggest disguising yourself as Bill Weasley. It's far more likely that they'll trust someone nearer to their own age. Bill's right in the middle between Remus and Harry, you shouldn't have a problem fulfilling another duty I'd like you to perform."

"What Albus?" said Moody cautiously.

"If Harry should prove...compromised, as I suspect I will. I would ask you to ensure that he returns to the right people."

Moody's scared face contorted into what was apparently a smile, "You want the boy-who-lived back with the order? With us?"

"Yes Alastor," said Dumbledore gravely, "I am afraid to think of the consequences for the wizarding world if the current situation is not resolved."

_In Little Hangelton_

Two fifteen year old boys swooped around the grounds of the large manor house on brooms, weaving in and out of each other trying to catch the marble that the dark lord had enchanted in order to get them out of the house whilst a meeting was taking place. Harry and Draco had spent the last half an hour trying to catch the damm thing and were beginning to suspect that it had a repelling charm on it rather than Bowman's standard snitch configuration hex. Having spent more time than they would have ever thought possible in the others company, they had reached a mutual compromise not to mention each other parents, Weasley finances or ferrets and therefore had found a common bond in Quiddich and contempt of the ridiculous notion that the Chudley Cannons would ever win the league.

"Harry, you fly from due north and I'll fly at it from south, we'll catch it together and end this ridiculous situation!"

Harry nodded and they flew towards the marble at bullet speed, just as they were about to catch it, it flew out of the way and they hit heads. Slightly dazed, they descended to the ground moaning about a certain sadistic dark lord. Narcissa came out of the house to join them carrying a tray of drinks, smirking at the bruises that were beginning to appear on their foreheads before casting a bruise removing charm on them and handing them a glass of Agalia's homemade lemonade and a slice of courgette cake. They sat down on the lawn gazing at the sunset.

"Mrs Malfoy?" Harry said, "Why aren't you in the meeting?"

She smiled at him wryly, "I'm not a Death eater, women don't usually join the ranks."

"Bellatrix did."

"Bellatrix is special. She knew she couldn't help the cause by producing the next generation of death eaters, so she joined herself. And would you say no to Bellatrix demanding to join?"

"Not in a million years. I don't understand why anyone would refuse to do what Bellatrix and Maggie ask. And if they did I'd hate to see the consequences."

Narcissa winced slightly, "There are those who have refused to meet Bellatrix's demands and as far as I am aware they're either dead or in St Mungo's"

"Who did Auntie Bella land in St Mungo's Mother?" Draco asked, "I always wondered why she was in there?"

Harry answered him as Narcissa had gone pale and had a slightly pained look on her face, "Neville Longbottom's parents, they were tortured into insanity."

"Why?" Draco questioned.

"You've got to understand Draco, that torturing someone into insanity is a crueller fate than death and certainly not the action I would have taken."

Harry looked sceptically at her, "What would you have done?"

"Killed them. It would have been no less than they deserved."

"Why? I know they were Aurors but what did they do?"

"My cousin Evan was killed by Aurors for resisting arrest. It was entirely legal at that point and in being a death eater he had broken the law. No Auror will admit however that he was only resisting arrest because Alice Longbottom had cast the cruciatus curse on his pregnant wife Elizabeth Selwyn causing her to miscarry. She bled to death in St Mungo's two hours later because no one would treat the wife of a known death eater. Bellatrix was particularly happy to torture the Longbottom's to get revenge for the death of her best friend and her unborn godchild."

Draco had gone pale and Narcissa drew her son into a hug.

"Mrs Malfoy," Harry said in an odd voice, "Did the other three who were convicted actually do anything or was it all Bellatrix?"

Narcissa smiled sadly, "Rodulphus and Rabstan tied the Longbottom's up and I believe that Rodulphus may have handed out a few punches in memory of his best man. Barty Crouch was just there he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He worked in the department of mysteries and was actually there to hand Frank some paperwork on an invention that he was working on to benefit the auror department. It is just unfortunate for him that Bellatrix turned up and he had a dark mark on his arm."

Harry looked contemplative, "The imperious curse turned him insane, that and his Dad turning out to be one of the world's biggest arseholes. Shipping your kids off to Azkaban with little evidence is hardly friendly. It's a pity he turned out the way he did, Barty was a great defence teacher. We learned loads."

Draco grumbled, "I still don't see why he had to resort to transfiguration."

Narcissa said sharply, "What transfiguration?"

Harry grinned, "So you didn't tell your father about it Draco!"

"Shut up!" Draco said, "It was an utterly humiliating experience."

Harry burst out laughing, "Crouch...turned him into...a...ferret!"

Narcissa gave her son a hug whilst trying to stop herself laughing.

"I'm sorry Draco" Harry said, once he had calmed down, "Draco, if we're friends now. Do you think you could try and be civil to Ron and Hermione."

Draco looked reluctant.

"Little Dragon," Narcissa said reprovingly , "Remember that the Dark Lord said it doesn't matter what house someone is in as long as they help."

"I can try." Draco said reluctantly.

"Great!" Harry said, "Muggle theme park, Monday want to come?"

"Maggie will be there won't she?" said Draco cautiously, "I'll have someone to talk to if anything goes wrong with Weasley?"

"I'm certainly planning to be" said Maggie stepping through the patio doors into the garden, "The meetings just finished, no one died although I think Snape and Sirius were rather close at one point to doing each other in. We've got a lovely long list of Squibs willing to testify in our favour, including one Argus Filch who has said that if I go to Azkaban Hogwarts won't have a caretaker in September. And Mrs Figg passes on her regards Harry."

"Mrs Figg's a squib?" Harry said flabbergasted.

"Yes, that's why she looked after you, to keep an eye on you. She's our double agent now, reporting to us from inside the order. "

"Isn't that Snape's job?" Harry said

"Do you trust Snape?"

Harry pretended to think about it seriously for a moment, "Nope!"

"Precisely, two sources of information are far more reliable, particularly as unlike Snape, Figg can't occlude her mind."

"Occlude?" Harry questioned.

"Occlumency is the art of blocking you mind from outside forces. If you can occlude you can stop legimens like Voldemort, Dumbledore, Snape and Remus from invading your mind and searching through your thoughts and memories." Maggie told him

"Do you think that either Uncle Tom or Remus could teach me how to do it?" Harry asked

"I want to be taught as well." Draco demanded

Narcissa looked at her cousin uncertainly, "Is it a good idea for them to learn?"

"Yes" Maggie said solemnly, "Particularly as we're certain that Dumbledore isn't going to play fair, we need to be on our guard. Every advantage we can seize is needed."

As they were talking an owl swooped down to them carrying a letter in its beak. Harry grabbed the letter and opened quickly yelling, "It's from Ron and Hermione"

"What does it say?" Draco said looking over Harry's shoulder.

"Dear Harry," Harry said reading excitably, "We'd love to come on Monday. Mum/ Mrs Weasley and Professor Dumbledore are insisting that someone come with us though as an escort (I don't think they trust Maggie) is ok then if Bill comes with us? Hope to see you soon, Ron and Hermione. P.S everyone says hi"

"Which ones Bill" Draco asked

"The oldest one," Harry said.

"The handsome one with the long hair" Narcissa said thoughtfully.

"Mum!" Draco yelled, utterly indignant

"Sorry Mrs Malfoy, I think he's got his eye of Fleur Delacour." Harry said grinning

"Pity." Narcissa said.

Maggie contemplated the request that Bill come with them, "He's a curse breaker, but there are going to be three highly trained wizards." She thought carefully, "I can't see any problem with Bill coming"

"OK!" Harry shouted, and scribbled down a reply on the back of the letter with Narcissa's rather expensive albino peacock feather quill.

Two Hours later, Molly Weasley rushed into Dumbledore's office and uttered the words,

"Albus, We've just got a reply we can send an escort"

"Thank you for telling me Molly, this is indeed excellent news. I'm sure Harry will be in your care by Tuesday tea time."

**Big thanks to my amazing beta feminist4ever **

**Question: If I was to work out away to bring Barty Crouch Junior (probably via the destruction of the dementor who sucked out his soul) back as a possible love interest for Maggie- would you want this to happen?**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The morning of the trip to the theme park dawned hot and sunny. While Sirius, Harry and Tonks slept on Voldemort, Remus and Maggie convened met in Voldemort's study, Maggie rubbing sleep out of her eyes as she nursed a cup of coffee. "Thank you for waking so early," Voldemort said, stroking Nagini was in the middle of digesting a capybara, "I do not trust someone who is not one of ours accompanying you on this venture, particularly as we know he has links to the Order. If the opportunity arises, one of you slip this into his drink." Voldemort brought a vial of clear liquid out of his robe pocket.

"Veristaserum," Remus murmured,

"Yes," Voldemort confirmed. "I'd ask you to use Legimancy as well Remus, but it requires eye contact and if Mr Weasley is there as a spy or worse we can conclude that they will avoid eye contact"

"Would it be possible to have a few death eaters acting as perimeter guards?" Remus asked

Voldemort looked at him sceptically, "Name three death eaters that you'd trust not to slaughter every Muggle there or help the Order."

Maggie thought for a moment, "Bellatrix under Narcissa's supervision?"

Voldemort shook his head, "I require Bellatrix in London today, She and Regulus are retrieving the rest of the horcruxes for me. If an eighteen year old can work it out it shouldn't take Dumbledore much longer, particularly after Lucius's mishap." He scowled. Lucius had been fortunate. His humungous bank account was still required and therefore he had escaped with only mild torture. Regulus on the other hand had been forced to inform Kreacher that he was still alive and was now suffering from the effects of Kreacher repeatedly pounding a cast iron pan against his skull and rear end.

Remus sighed, "Then we shall have to take our chances and hope that Harry is a good judge of Bill Weasley's character."

"That's what worries me. Within only an hour of knowing Sirius he was planning to move in with him. It took Harry two days to reject everything he's known from the age of eleven and become content with the idea of living with the man who killed his parents. Those blasted Muggles have ensured that he accepts anyone who will care for him far too easily."

Remus smiled, "He doesn't trust Snape though. The man's saved his life on at least two occasions and Harry still doesn't trust him."

Maggie raised an eyebrow, "Does anyone trust Snape?"

"I trust him to take the course of action that best benefits him, but no one would truly trust the man." Voldemort said.

There was a knock on the door and a bleary eyed Harry accompanied by an extremely hyperactive Padfoot walked (or bounded) into the room gazed at the three people stood there and mumbled, "Is breakfast ready?"

Maggie smiled and ushered Sirius, Harry and Remus out of the room to start preparing breakfast.

Voldemort sat down at his desk and allowed Nagini to wind herself round his shoulders while he scratched her head. "By Merlin, I hope that today doesn't go completely wrong," he said to the empty room and then picked up his quill and began assigning death eaters to missions.

At 9 o clock they arrived at the already bustling theme park. Ron and Hermione were waving frantically at Harry from the turnstiles, Hermione's bushy brown hair tied back in a pony tail and Ron's freckled nose red and peeling. They made their way over to them and Ron and Hermione threw their arms around Harry hugging him. Mid-hug Ron looked up and realised that there was a pale blonde thing standing just behind Tonks.

"Harry, what's Malfoy doing here?" Ron said indignantly

Draco flinched slightly at Ron's tone and shifted closer to Tonks and Maggie.

Tonks said in a seemingly jovial tone but was underlined with threat, "We decided it wasn't fair to leave Draco alone, when it's such a nice day and he's family. We have to look after him, don't we Sirius?"

Sirius wasn't paying attention. He had just noticed the young lady working at the ticket box and was gawking shamelessly at her. Maggie kicked him and muttered furiously, "Sirius stop it, she's probably closer to Harry's age than she is to yours."

Sirius pouted and turned away from her to sulk.

Alastor Moody was in the gents downing another flask of polyjuice potion that had turned a shocking pink when he'd added a long ginger hair into it. Adjusting the dragonskin leather that he was clad head to toe in; he fixed a charismatic smile on his face and stepped out into the theme park. Potter, Weasley, Granger and for some reason Malfoy were stood clustered around four adults. His former protégée still had her hair bright pink and had was holding the hand of the greying Remus Lupin. The two Blacks were stood apart from the others, Sirius was evidently sulking. The Squib on the other hand was more interesting she had an eye on the scowling Sirius and another on the four teenagers who stood confrontationally. He made his way over to them, shook Harry, Remus and Sirius's hands, gave Tonks a hug and avoided Maggie Black's distrustful gaze.

"Right then," he said in Bill Weasley's Devonshire accent, "Shall we go in?"

They had been wandering around the theme park going on the various rides for four hours. When they had stopped for lunch at a Pizza Buffet there had been an extraordinary mix-up with drinks that had resulted in Sirius blurting out, "A quick shag" in response to the Waitress's, "What do you want?" Tonks had quickly interjected that Sirius was out on a day trip from a mental institution and Remus had cast a silencing spell on Sirius to prevent stop further embarrassment.

Maggie gazed suspiciously at 'Bill' and asked Remus to try and read his mind while they paid the bill. Remus muttered, "It's no good, the sod won't make eye contact with me."

"We need to keep an eye on him, this doesn't feel right." Maggie said.

"If he was here maliciously wouldn't he have done something already?" Remus questioned.

"Harry hasn't been more than 30cm away from Ron and Hermione; he hasn't had the opportunity."

"That's assuming that Ron and Hermione aren't in on this," Remus said sharply. "Sirius stayed with me from a fair bit last year, so I read Harry's letters. Ron abandoned Harry for a month because Harry was chosen as champion against his will and he was jealous."

"Shall we call it off now then?" Maggie asked.

Before Remus could reply Tonks dragged the two of them off to a ride that they apparently _had_ to go on. The queue for the rollercoaster went on for ages, with Sirius and Ron quickly becoming bored. Hermione came up with the suggestion that they use the single rider's queue to get on the ride quicker, since they weren't fussed about sitting together.

Maggie looked at Hermione suspiciously. Was the girl in on whatever crackpot scheme Harry needed protecting from? A single rider's line would give them plenty of opportunity to ensure that Harry was alone. "Hermione," she said cautiously, "I would prefer it if we stuck together."

Hermione shrugged politely and said, "It was only a suggestion."

Maggie glanced at Remus who nodded tersely at her. As Sirius and Ron started singing 20000 bottles of beer on the wall, she whispered in Draco's ear, "Keep an eye on Harry". Draco froze for a moment before pretending nothing had happened and joined in on 19998 bottles of beer.

Alastor Moody was fuming. True, he had avoided the Veristaserum at lunch but it was evident that Maggie Black was suspicious. If she wouldn't let Harry out of sight, what chance did he have of grabbing the blasted boy? He was sweating in the dragonskin and beginning to sunburn. He needed to very surreptitiously take more polyjuice potion every hour and if he didn't manage to get the boy soon he was going to have to get the caldron out of his undetectably extinction charmed pocket, which he could not do covertly. Just when the last drop from his hip flask, they reached the beginning of the queue.

Sirius, Ron and Hermione were immediately seated; Sirius and Ron fastening their seat belts hastily. As Remus, Maggie and Tonks's seatbelts were checked by the attendants, Maggie realised with horror that Harry, Draco and 'Bill' were not on this revolution of the ride. She muttered anxiously to Remus, "Harry's not coming with us; He and Draco are stuck behind." Remus immediately began tugging at his seatbelt.

"I'm sorry sir," the attendant said, "Unless it's an absolute emergency, we don't want to delay the ride for everyone else to let you off."

Remus smiled wanly and ceased his effort. Maggie caught Draco's eye and mouthed, "Keep an eye on Harry," to him. Draco gave her a thumbs up and then the ride started. It was a sickening experience of twists and turns and Maggie felt her head forced from side to side with the force of the oncoming wind. They turned left and right, spiralling up and doing loop the loops, they flipped dramatically upside down and then more slowly started back towards the docking bay. They were so close to the end of the ride when the electronics suddenly stopped.

"What's happened?" Maggie yelled furiously; the ground was still a good 10 feet below them and she could feel her legs seizing up as they strained to touch the bottom of the carriage. A sycophant with a megaphone walked down below them, saying in a patronising tone, "We apologise for the inconvenience ladies and gentlemen but it appears that the ride is having some technical difficulties, may we suggest that those currently queuing allow the ride staff an hour and a half to solve the problem so that we can get those currently on the ride back on the ground." They were stuck, suspended in mid-air for an hour. Maggie rushed off the ride when it touched down and looked around for Harry and Draco; they were nowhere to be seen in the hoards of people waiting to go on the ride.

"Remus, they're gone," she said, panicking, "Where have they gone?"

Remus checked that the close was clear before casting a point me spell and muttering "Harry Potter". The wand whizzed around his hand a few times before coming to a halt pointing straight back at him. He swore and tried again. No difference. Sirius ran off, manically calling for Harry. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other and ran in the opposite direction.

Tonks glanced at Remus and Maggie. "What about Draco? "

Remus tried the point-me spell again and got no result. "Draco can't be found either." He ran a hand through his greying hair in frustration, "Where the hell have they gone?"

Tonks put an arm around him and said in a far more serious voice than she normally used, "They've been taken, haven't they? I thought we could trust Bill. Why has he taken Draco though?"

Maggie sighed and allowed a tear to start running down her face, "I told him to keep an eye on Harry. I hope to God that they'll be alright until we can rescue them."

Sirius, Ron and Hermione sprinted back to them. All three drastically out of breath.

"We can't see Harry, Draco or Bill anywhere," Hermione panted.

Sirius was in a state. "What do we do? Harry's missing!"

Maggie stepped around Sirius to put a seemingly comforting arm around Ron and Hermione, "I know this may be hard for you. But we believe your brother has kidnapped Harry and Draco in an attempt to turn Harry against us."

Hermione looked at her, "You've suspected him all day haven't you?"

"Of course I have, that's why I didn't want us to separate you stupid girl!" Maggie snapped.

"Oy!" Ron said, attempting to shove off Maggie's suddenly constricting arm, "Leave Hermione alone! We didn't know what was going on"

"Remus?" Tonks said, as he bent down to Hermione's eye level and gazed piercingly into her eyes and then into Ron's.

"They're telling the truth," he said briskly, "They weren't aware of Bill's plan. " His eyes met Sirius's and Maggie's and they nodded once at him. Sirius quickly stunned Ron as Remus stunned Hermione. They both crumpled to the ground like puppets whose strings had been cut.

"So sorry children," Remus said to their unconscious forms, "But if Dumbledore is prepare to resort to underhand tactics by kidnapping Harry and Draco. I think we can pay him back in kind."

Remus and Sirius stuck Ron and Hermione over their shoulders, disillusioning them so that they couldn't be seen by Muggles. They strode out of the park to the apparition point and with a crack the group landed just down the road from The Riddle House. Maggie let go of Tonks's arm and turned to one side to vomit. As she finished retching Voldemort came striding towards them, quickening his pace when he realised Harry was not with them. "Why is Harry not with you?" He took out his wand and crucioed Tonks, leaving her writhing in agony on the ground.

Remus met his angry gaze with cold anger and said calmly and tersely, "Harry and Draco have been taken. We don't know where but we're certain of the culprit; they were left alone with Bill Weasley and by the time we got off the blasted rollercoaster they were gone."

Sirius disillusioned Ron and Hermione's bodies, "Dumbledore may have Harry and Draco but we think we've taken the appropriate action."

Voldemort removed the cruciatus curse from Tonks and then said coldly "Take Granger and Weasley inside and ensure that Narcissa and Bellatrix don't see them until they've calmed down from being informed that Draco is missing. I don't want the drawing room decorated with Weasley entrails."

Sirius and Remus flicked their wands and levitated Ron and Hermione up the driveway with Tonks following behind in a state of shock.

Voldemort grabbed Maggie's upper arm and turned her to face him, "We must ensure that we get them back. We cannot allow Dumbledore to harm them or to compromise your case."

Maggie stared determinedly back at the dark lord's snake face. Her pale, slightly green face steeled itself and she said, "The interfering old bastard won't know what's hit him. We send out the best, capture as many order members as possible. We play just as dirty as him. He'd better hope he hasn't harmed either of the boys or he might just find out what it's like to be tortured to death in the muggle world."

Voldemort nodded at her and vanished the pile of her vomit and strode away, his cloak gliding behind him. Maggie stood, breathing deeply, trying to overcome her nausea and gazed at the sun setting over the dales. This, she decided, was war. She just had to hope that Harry and Draco weren't going to be casualties.

**Thank you to my amazing BETA feminist4ever. Sorry there's been a gap, I've had history coursework to do. Regarding the question I proposed the previous chapter; I have a solution to it which I hope will satisfy everyone. ~TheRealRitaSkeeter. **


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Draco landed with a thud in a dirty and dusty room. His head was spinning and he felt faint. Looking down he realised it was because his left leg now ended just above the knee. His remaining knee was grazed and bleeding, but though Draco's head swam, he had never felt as heroic in his life. When the ride had stopped, Bill had suggested that they wait outside one of the Cafes for the others rather than wait in line for a ride they didn't care much about. The prospect of waiting for over an hour for the ride to restart had been too daunting and "Bill" had suggested that they wait outside one of the Cafes for the others to get off the ride. Draco had gone to the toilet and returned just in time to see Harry turn pale and attempt to run before Bill stunned him. Draco proudly remembered launching himself at the older man and grabbing the hem of his leather trousers as he apparated away, Harry limp in his arms before his vision turned black. The last thing Draco heard was a familiar voice say, "Alastor, what in Merlin's name is Draco Malfoy doing here?"

Dumbledore was furious. Yes, they had Potter but the Malfoy boy had somehow ended up here as well. They were currently in the upper room of The Hogs Head; it was grimy but it was perfect as a secret meeting place. It was within easy distance of Hogwarts and could be directly apparated into. Harry was deeply enough unconscious that they could levitate him into the dungeons and chain him up without any trouble. Malfoy, on the other hand, could be stirred easily, and if they weren't careful his splinched lower leg was going to kill him. Powerful though he was, he didn't fancy angering Narcissa Malfoy by allowing her only son to die.

"Alastor, we need to regrow the leg." Dumbledore said, calming down sufficiently to take action.

Moody rolled his eyes and flicked his wand. There was a cloud of smoke and Draco was miraculously reunited with his lower limb. Dumbledore nodded and levitated Draco and Harry through the floo network.

They emerged in a dark dingy corridor lit by eerie green light from torches in the walls. Moody waved his wand and the grey stone wall divided in two to show a cavern in which a solitary figure was chained by his hands from the wall, his feet just touching the ground.

He managed to raise his head a couple of inches and spat, "Hello, Professor, brought me some new roommates, have you?"

"Shut it, you filthy scum," Moody barked.

The man laughed insanely, "Being quiet isn't my forte, I'm afraid. Neither is being dead though. So I'm afraid I can't help it." His brown eyes danced around his dark prison, fixing themselves lazily on the shock of blonde hair that Dumbledore was chaining to the wall across from him. "You've brought me a Malfoy? Very interesting; I thought Lucius was too slippery to risk angering, for fear that he would get out of the situation rather better off than you." He burst out into a cackling laugh until Moody raised his wand and crucioed the hanging figure into silence.

As Dumbledore stepped back from attaching Draco to the wall, a flustered figure appeared behind them.

"Albus, Albus, Elphias told me you'd be down here. We've just had an Owl. They've taken Ron and Hermione hostage. What should we do..." Molly gazed at the two unconscious teenagers and said in confusion and worry, "Albus...why is Harry tied up down here?"

Her round worried face turned to Albus, who placed a wrinkled hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Molly, Harry's only down here until we can be sure that he's not under the imperious curse. Then Harry can return to his bed in Gryffindor tower and we'll exchange Malfoy for Ron and Hermione. "

Molly looked unsure but she left muttering about bringing the boys some food and blankets. Moody turned to Dumbledore and said gruffly, "We'll have to keep an eye on her. Merlin only knows what lengths that woman would go to for her children, Albus."

Albus smiled serenely, "A mother's love is indeed a very powerful thing Alastor. We simply have to ensure that we are the ones who benefit."

They stepped out of the cavern and sealed the three suspended figures, one tall, two short, in darkness. The man gazed at the two teenagers, his insane gaze taking in their chains and their unconscious state. The cavern was almost deathly silent. A couple of rats scurried across the floor, the walls dripped with damp. He let out an insane giggle and then in a song like voice whispered, "Wakey Wakey boys. It's time to get up. I want to play a game."

Harry jolted awake. He couldn't see a thing beyond the rims of his glasses. His arms hurt and his head ached from the stunning spell. His head swam with the image of Bill Weasley, his best friends' older brother, stunning him. Harry gazed around the dark, dank cell and looked towards the source of the voice. "Hello? Who's there?"

"It's alright Potter," said a singsong voice, "It's just you and me and Malfoy."

"Draco?" Harry called out to the darkness.

"I'm here," said a disgruntled voice, "Where in the name of Morgana's saggy tits are we?"

"Careful Draco," came the singsong voice. "Daddy wouldn't be very happy at your language, would he?"

"Who are you? How do you know Father?" Draco said, sounding slightly scared.

There was a giggle. "I know your father. The man behind the mask. Lucius the slippery eel."

"Are you a death eater?" Harry asked.

The man ignored the question and began gently singing 'A cauldron of hot, strong love'.

"Harry, I don't think we're going to get any answers from him. Whoever he is, he's evidently insane."

Harry shifted himself in his chains and gazed about the room for some source of light. Apart from a small slit around the opening to the cavern there was nothing; he couldn't even see his feet.

"Draco," Harry said quietly, "what happened?"

"Dumbledore happened," Draco spat. "Weasley stunned you and Dumbledore evidently decided that a dank prison cell was the perfect place to keep the boy wonder safe."

Harry laughed bitterly. "Four years of being his perfect little pawn and this is how I get repaid? I spent four years believing everything he ever told me, I told him in second year about Voldemort saying that we were very similar and he basically told me not to worry about it. Obviously he has more than worried about it because he's locked me up for being related to Voldemort!"

There was silence for five minutes apart from the odd snatch of 'You charmed the heart right out of me' from the third occupant of the cell. Then Harry said sheepishly, "Draco? Why are you here? Not that I'm not grateful and everything but I would have thought that..."

"That because I'm not a member of the house of the brave or loyal I would never do something so stupid as to grab an apparating wizard to save a friend resulting the potential loss of right legs?"

There was a slightly awkward pause before Harry said "Thanks Draco. Thanks for being here even if...we are trapped in cave."

"It's fine." Draco said with a sniff, "We Malfoys always seek to put our best foot forward when it comes to assisting the powerful and influential. Besides," he added with a grin, though nobody could see it in the dark, "you need a Slytherin here to prevent you from doing something stupid."

Harry burst out laughing, "Draco, I wish you hadn't been a complete prat when I first met you; we could have been friends so much faster. Mind you..." Harry said, "I would have agreed with the sorting hat to be put in Slytherin and we might have ended up down here at the end of first year."

"You were supposed to be in Slytherin?" Draco asked incredulously. "The Golden Boy of Gryffindor?"

Harry smirked. "The Sorting Hat only put me in Gryffindor because I asked it to. If you hadn't been a complete tosser I'd have let it, too."

"You wouldn't be friends with Weasley and Granger if you'd been put in Slytherin, though." Draco pointed out.

Harry swallowed a sudden lump in his throat, "Do I want to be friends with them now?" he questioned. "If Bill kidnapped us did Ron and Hermione know about it? Ron abandoned me last year over the tournament because he thought I was just seeking attention."

"That wasn't just him though..." Draco. "The whole school thought you were just seeking attention. I made three hundred galleons."

Harry scowled, "I still hate you for those Potter stinks badges, and Colin and Dennis Creevey will never forgive you for humiliating their hero."

Draco sniggered, "Did they try altering them?"

"Yes," Harry said indignantly.

"And lots of badges said Potter really stinks?"

"Yes."

"If you try to alter them using a switching spell they proclaim the wearer to be Harry's whore."

"What?" Harry asked in shock.

Draco smirked. "My theory was that anyone who tried that hard to alter them had to be in love with you. Astoria thought it was hilarious."

"Astoria? Who's Astoria?"

Draco blushed, "She's Daphne Greengrass's little sister. She's going into third year. Transfiguration is not among my many talents and therefore she helped me do all the spell work on the badges in exchange for Honeydukes chocolate."

Harry burst out laughing. "What does Pansy Parkinson think?"

Draco groaned. "She still has a crush on me. I only took her to the ball because Professor Snape thought that a second year at the ball was going too far and Blaise and Theo had already asked Daphne and Lily and I wasn't desperate enough to ask Millicent Bulstrode."

Harry smiled, "Who did Millicent end up going with?"

Draco frowned, "She didn't go. When Pansy realised that no one had asked her, Pansy spent December coming up with interesting comments about Millicent's appearance until Warrington and Montague had to physically restrain poor Millicent to stop her from punching Pansy. Snape was informed and Millicent was allowed to go home for Christmas and Pansy spent the majority of the Christmas holidays scrubbing caldrons."

"Merlin, Pansy's a bitch." Harry said.

Unfortunately, he said that just as the cavern door opened and a plump figure levitating two large trays of food entered.

"Harry, dear." Mrs. Weasley said, "I know circumstances here are less than ideal but still, please watch your language."

"Hello Mrs. Weasley, lovely of you to come and have a little chat with us." Harry said pleasantly, though light of the outside corridor showed that he was glaring at her.

"Excellent, room service." Draco said sardonically. "I was just about to complain to management about conditions here. Shared accommodation with less than comfortable sleeping space; it's appalling."

Mrs. Weasley fixed a glare at him like a sabre tooth tiger's, her face bright red with anger, and erupted into a rant. "Now listen here young man! I know you're frustrated but my poor little Ronnie and dear Hermione are being held hostage by your psychotic relatives. I don't suppose that your Aunt Bellatrix will be giving them food and we've had no reply from Maggie or you-know-who on exchanging you. I'm only trying to help you, so don't take your anger out on me young man!

"Mrs. Weasley," Harry said in a controlled but furious tone, "Voldemort will be treating Ron and Hermione far better than you have been treating us. For a start, Riddle House doesn't have dungeons, so even if he wanted to string them up by their arms he couldn't. Instead of worrying about Voldemort or Maggie or even Bellatrix, worry about Narcissa Malfoy's reaction to finding out you've kidnapped her son."

With a flick of her wand a furious Molly Weasley dumped the trays by their feet and stormed out, shutting them back in darkness.

"Well, that went well," Harry said in the darkness. "How on earth are we meant to get food when it's several feet away from us? We'll have starved to death by the time Voldemort comes."

"Well, maybe if you had held your rant until _after_ we got food," Draco suggested sarcastically.

"The Dark Lord comes," the singsong voice suddenly said, rescuing Harry from the need to respond.

"You are a Death Eater. Who are you?" Draco imperiously demanded.

The man continued as if Draco had not spoken, "The Dark Lord will come. He will not let us rot. The dark lord rewards and punishes. He is a true master."

Harry stared, trying to find the mysterious insane figure in the darkness. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in Azkaban if you're a Death Eater?"

The man giggled, "I know too much to be dead. Father always said Fudge was incompetent. "

"You're supposed to be dead?" Harry said a chill running down the back of his neck. This man was dangerous. Dumbledore had kept him alive because he held information about something or someone.

"What is it that you know that's so dangerous?" asked Draco curiously. "Surely if you know something about Dumbledore they should want you dead so that you don't tell anyone."

"It's not Dumbledore. Although I do know some deliciously juicy information that Rita Skeeter would give her right arm for. The dark lord trusted me with all his most important secrets." The man's voice stopped being songlike and developed a more sinister tone. "I'm supposed to be dead. That fat fool Fudge brought in a dementor and I thought that I would go to the world beyond the veil keeping my master's secrets. Dumbledore wants to know them, the inquisitive goat. Slippery Snape stopped the dementor, obliviated Fudge, and transfigured some chicken bones into my body to pretend that I had been kissed. He stunned me and I woke up here in this hell hole." The man rattled his chains and hissed angrily, "Snape will pay. My master will make sure of it. I am, after all, his most faithful servant."

And at that moment Harry realised that if he could see through the darkness at the sinister figure across the cell, the man who hung there would have the straw blonde hair and fervent brown eyes of Barty Crouch Junior.

**Thank You so much to my wonderful beta feminist4ever. I hope you enjoyed and approve of my plot twist, please review and continue reading. Thank You! -TheRealRitaSkeeter **


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The dining room in Riddle House was full of noise, mostly because Bellatrix, Sirius and Snape were yelling at each other. Maggie sat at the long dining table, nursing a firewhiskey and a head ache. For the past ten minutes Bellatrix and Sirius had been accusing Snape of being a treacherous slimy git and Snape was accusing them of being insane, incompetent and inbred. Regulus was sat at the far end of the table with Tonks and Remus with a bottle of vodka between them taking a shot every time the words "Snivellus" "Mutt" and "deranged" were used. They were already 2/3 of the way through the bottle. In contrast Narcissa and Lucius were sitting separately. Narcissa's nails were broken and tears were running down her face. It had been a day since she had been informed that her 'little dragon' had been kidnapped and since that time had alternated between hysterical sobbing and threatening to lead an assault on Hogwarts herself. The letter that had arrived from Dumbledore declaring that they had Draco and were willing to swap him for Ron and Hermione had caused major divisions. Maggie, Sirius, Remus, Tonks and Voldemort refused to exchange Ron and Hermione purely for Draco. Narcissa, Regulus and Lucius wanted to accept the hostage exchange. Bellatrix had decided that it would be more efficient to send an alternative arrangement back suggesting that every day Draco was in their captivity she would remove one of Ron Weasley's fingers. Marius had managed to break up the argument by suggesting that they lead a rescue attempt and if that failed debate either torture or a swap.

Voldemort swept into the room and it fell into deathly silence as Nagini (all eight feet of her) wound her way up the table, tickling Agalia with her tongue as she went past, before winding herself around Voldemort's chair and laying her head in his lap.

He gazed at them all before saying coldly "Thank you for coming tonight, we continue as planned; two fifteen year old boys are hardly vital to our cause."

Narcissa burst into tears and Maggie glared at him; he ignored them both and continued, "So shall we continue with our plans to take over the ministry? Rockwood, please enlighten us as to the political leanings of the current head of ministry departments."

A very boring three hours later Snape interrupted Yaxley's rant on having to spend far too much time with Dolores Umbridge by saying, "If I may, my lord, there is an Order meeting in five minutes."

Voldemort dismissed him, "Yes you may go Severus; give Molly Weasley my regards."

Snape bowed tersely and left, his long black cloak sweeping behind him.

Once he had left Voldemort said, "Now that we have privacy shall we discuss more important matters?"

They all watched as Voldemort waved his wand. A map flew out of the pocket of his robes and unfurled itself on the table, revealing a detailed diagram of Hogwarts.

"As you can see, I have no intention of allowing Harry and Draco to rot in Hogwarts' dungeons," Voldemort said. "We have a diagram of Hogwarts, with the secret passages into the castle included, I suggest that..."

Sirius interrupted him, "Your map's out of date; the secret passage behind the mirror is blocked off, there was a land slide, and you've missed the Shrieking Shack passage off."

"Shrieking Shack?" Voldemort asked coldly, glaring at Sirius.

"There's a passage from the Shrieking Shack that comes out under the Whomping Willow. It was put in place in 1971, you won't have used it."

"It is irrelevant," Voldemort said dismissively, "We need to use one of the ones that actually goes into the castle. I suggest using this one here" He waved his wand and a red dot appeared on the map, "It goes from the Hogs Head to a secret room on the seventh floor."

"The Hogs Head route is futile," Marius said. "The bartenders name is Aberforth Dumbledore; any attempt to pass through there and the moment you arrive they'll have half the order on our backs"

"Which way in would you suggest?" Voldemort asked, his red eyes flashing dangerously.

Maggie reached forward and tapped her finger on the map, "Here. We use bubble head charms to swim the lake and emerge in the most ridiculous place to put a hidden room ever. "

Voldemort considered the map carefully, "You would have us emerge through the chamber of secrets?"

"It would put us much closer to the dungeons," Remus said. "The only issue is the ghost."

"What ghost?" Maggie asked

Voldemort rolled his eyes, "The ghost who haunts the girls bathroom on the second floor; her name's Myrtle. She was a third year Ravenclaw who simply happened to be in the wrong place when my basilisk woke up."

Sirius started sniggering and Agalia hit him.

"But Moaning Myrtle will not be a problem as long as we provide her with appropriate stimulation to get her to be quiet."

Sirius couldn't stand it any longer, "What? More stimulation than your basilisk..." He choked out.

Voldemort glared at Sirius and held him under the cruciatus curse until his laughs turned into screams.

"How are we planning on distracting her then?" Maggie asked.

"She's a dead teenage girl, stick anyone remotely attractive in front of her and we'll have her distracted for as long as we need," Voldemort said brusquely.

Maggie scanned the room to identify the most attractive male. Lucius wasn't too bad but he was a bit slimy and Narcissa wouldn't agree to allow her husband to flirt with other women. Sirius was at least another month of nutrition off being attractive, Remus looked too old and most of the other death eaters were much too old for it to be reasonable to flirt with a fourteen year old. It would have to be...

"Regulus?" she said in a falsely cheerful voice, "You don't mind taking one for the team do you?"

Regulus groaned. "Do I have to? She used to watch me in the bath; she'll think I'm finally reciprocating her feelings."

"How did she watch you in the bath?" Sirius asked, gawping.

"She likes to sit in the prefect's bathroom and watch the boys washing," Remus said. "When James became head boy she'd be mysteriously missing from 10.30-11.00 every other day. Luckily she didn't consider me attractive enough to merit her attention."

"I think you're attractive." Tonks said, kissing his cheek.

"If only I'd been a prefect," Sirius mused, "She'd have moved into the boys' dormitories the moment I removed my uniform."

Tonks glared at him and said pointedly, "Pervy ghosts and pervy cousins aside. What's the plan of action? We can't all break in via the chamber of secrets; even Dumbledore will notice if fifty armed people dressed in black robes exit a girls toilet."

Maggie simply said, "We split up into task forces, only one team heads for the dungeons, have team A invade the ministry as a distraction, team B terrorise Hogsmeade, team C goes in through the Shrieking Shack and aim for the Gryffindor boys dormitories and team D go in through the chamber of secrets and rescues Harry and Draco."

Voldemort raised what would have been an eyebrow. "And where in this master plan do you require me?"

Maggie thought for a moment. Voldemort would be crucial to convincing Harry that is was them and not order members under the influence of polyjuice potion but at the same time Voldemort would be a better distraction: Dumbledore was guaranteed to fight if Voldemort was there. Then she realised the possibilities that a combination of incest and magic had gifted her family. "Tonks?" she asked. "Do you think you can make yourself look like Voldemort?"

Despite looking faintly disgusted at the idea she screwed her face up. Instantly a perfect replica of the snake-faced dark lord stared back at them wearing a pink strap top, which was overall, a faintly disturbing sight.

Maggie smiled. "We have two dark lords, one at the ministry, one at Hogwarts, Tom you'll have to lead the chamber of secrets raid, we'll need parseltongue to exit the chamber."

"You don't actually, that fool Lockhart destroyed most of the chamber two years ago, you can exit the chamber on brooms. "

Maggie pursed her lips, "Where do you want to go then?"

Voldemort twisted his lips into something of a smile and said, "I think it would be beneficial if I stayed away from Hogwarts. Myrtle will not act favourably if I am present and I want to conquer the school not infiltrate it. I will lead the raid on Hogsmeade with 10 men. Miss Tonks on the ministry with 35, Bellatrix and Lucius via the shrieking shack with Rabstan, Rodulphus and Antonin. And Sirius, Remus, Regulus and Maggie will enter the chamber of secrets and rescue the boys. I believe that will be satisfactory"

Marius raised his hand, "Just one question. How many people are you planning to kill to create these diversions? The order's deaths are one thing; the deaths of innocent shoppers in Hogsmeade is quite another."

Voldemort scowled, "Very well, stun, disarm, take hostage and minor cruciatus and imperious use only."

Antonin Dolohov muttered under his breath in Russian and Voldemort lazily crucioed him allowing him to spasm in his chair before releasing the curse and said, "Well Dolohov, do you still feel like questioning my authority?"

"No my lord," he muttered.

"We will return the two brats we currently have after the trial is over. We make the girl write to her parents explaining why her captors feel justified in keeping her hostage. Loathe though I am to say it, the mudblood's" Tonks glared at him and he rolled his eyes, "Muggleborn's parents could be useful, if only because of the injustice in putting thousands of pounds into their daughter's education without having a say in the wizarding world. Very well, if there is no more business, depart. Regulus stay behind, we need...a little chat."

The majority of the death eaters left the room, quietly talking as they closed the heavy oak door behind them. Marius, Sirius, Remus, Narcissa, Tonks, Lucius, Bellatrix and Maggie stayed in their seats as Voldemort stood and walked down the room until he was opposite Regulus and sat back down, his wand pointed in Regulus's face.

"Now listen Black, I do not tolerate treachery and it is only at your cousin's request that you are still alive. Should you betray me again I will ensure that you die in the most painful way imaginable. Your role is unfortunately essential to the plan but you will stay in the girls bathroom distracting Moaning Myrtle; you will do nothing else and you will not put the lives of your family at risk. Clear Black?"

Regulus nodded. "This isn't about your cause Riddle," he said seriously, "This is about saving two fifteen year old boys."

"And making Myrtle moan!" Sirius chipped in, before he was petrified by Bellatrix.

"Sirius," Bellatrix threatened, "We fully understand that you have the approximate maturity of a fourteen year old, but unless to stop coming out with double entendre, I will silence you by removing your tongue."

She unfroze him and Sirius nodded, transformed into a large black dog, and scarped from the room as fast as his paws could carry him. Voldemort dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

Maggie stayed seated until the rest of them had gone before saying, "Why won't you come to Hogwarts? Harry will want to see you as soon as he can."

Voldemort looked down at Nagini, stroking her head, "Hogwarts needs to be the last stage. I don't want to just visit Hogwarts briefly; everything needs to be in place before I return home."

"Your childhood really was awful wasn't it?"

"Muggles fear what they don't understand; look at what happened to the Jews in World War two. I spent 11 years at that orphanage, relying on my magic and my own cunning to survive, its why I framed Hagrid for the chamber of secrets. I couldn't return, particularly not when World War two was in full force, I spent enough time trapped in a bomb shelter in the holidays. When I was eight Billy Stubbs broke my arm; we were fighting because I'd apparently stolen his watch. The next day after my arm had been set his rabbit mysteriously hung itself from the rafters. Cruelty and intimidation kept them away from me. "

"Surely the fear of things they don't understand can also be applied to wizards? Mudbloods, the treatment of goblins, house elves, centaurs, werewolfs..."

"Squibs?" Voldemort added. "I'd also apply the same mantra to Slytherins. With myself as the possible exception, most children aren't evil at the age of eleven; it is the treatment from other houses, of society, that drives so many to my side. I have had approximately ¾ of every Slytherin graduating class since 1944 either join me as a Death Eater or provide financial support. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw always side with Gryffindor"

"As the founders did Tom. It does seem a pity that 1000 years later the same lines are still drawn. We're going to get them out tomorrow we have to."

He nodded and continued petting Nagini.

"By the way," Maggie said, "Where are we sending Snape?"

Voldemort smiled, "He's going to arrive here and immediately be stunned and locked up with Weasley; I'm taking no chances with Snape's loyalties. I'd trust him only as far as I could throw him. It'll be best for everyone's health if he is kept out of the conflict "

"I wonder what James Potter would think of the current situation."

"He died for his wife and son, Maggie, I think we can assume that he'd be by his friends' sides preparing to inflict a certain degree of pain to rescue his son."

Maggie smiled, "Lily would have been the one to watch out for. Imagine her, Narcissa, and Bellatrix as an attack team."

"Quite. If I find a muggle born wizard or even an abandoned half blood in an orphanage after we take over the wizarding world, would Bella take it the wrong way if I asked her to adopt them?"

Maggie grinned at him. "She'd probably consider it a proposal of marriage."

They simultaneously shuddered.

"We'll get Harry and Draco back," Maggie said, "We'll take down Dumbledore and be the first regime in history where equality is established by a dictatorship."

"It won't be a dictatorship" Voldemort said, "I have no intention of being Minister for Magic, I will be Headmaster and a political advisor to the minister who will be a democratically elected Lucius or Yaxley"

"You'd give Lucius that much power?" Maggie asked sceptically.

"Not ideally...but since my original choice is currently soulless in Azkaban, I'll settle for him."

**Thanks to my amazing beta feminist4ever!**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Maggie was seriously beginning to regret suggesting that they used the Chamber of Secrets as a break-in route. They had been trapped behind suits of armour for ten minutes while the Order of the Phoenix occupied the entrance hall as they planned their defence of Hogsmeade and the Ministry. It had been going reasonably well; the swim across the lake hadn't been as difficult as she had anticipated though the broomstick ride up into the girls bathroom, as she clung desperately onto Regulus's back whilst Sirius laughed at her, had been a nightmare. How anyone thought it was a good idea to put a Squib on a magic broom was a complete mystery to her. Abandoning Regulus to Myrtle had been the easiest part of the expedition. Myrtle had shrieked and swooped towards him, demanding an explanation as to how he had survived. As Remus, Maggie and Sirius had escaped the bathroom they had heard her giggle and pronounce that the afterlife had decided that Regulus was too brave and dashing to join her yet. Sirius, unsurprisingly, had burst out laughing the moment they were on the other side of the door. Fortunately, Remus had silenced him before he could give them away. They had crept down two flights of steps and then found themselves resorting to ducking behind suits of armour to avoid getting caught.

"Daedelus, Mundungus and Elphias focus on shepherding everyone in Hogsmeade into the Hogs Head. Molly and Poppy, go directly to the Hogs Head to provide aid to the injured. Alastor, Minerva, Bill, Arthur, Kingsley come with me and drive out the Death Eaters. This war has only just begun," Dumbledore said grimly. "Everyone else, try to stay alive and rescue as many civilians as possible. Voldemort will not be remotely forgiving in his attacks. We can only hope that the Ministry will hold fast. Hogsmeade has to be our priority. Good luck everyone."

From behind their suits of armour they could hear a swarm of people exit the entrance hall at haste. Maggie was just about to duck out from behind her suit of armour when she realised that at least three people still stood there.

"Albus," McGonagall said, "this is about Potter isn't it? They want him back."

"I believe so Minerva. The lack of forewarning about this attack is alarming. I have not seen Severus since last night. I suspect that his cover may have been blown, in which case I fear for the poor boy. Lord Voldemort does not forget betrayal easily."

"Or he's a filthy turncoat, Albus, and has simply elected not to inform us as to his master's plans." Moody growled.

"No Alastor, I trust Severus Snape with my life. He will not have betrayed us."

Moody grunted and limped away, his staff thumping as he moved.

"What do we do now Albus?" McGonagall asked.

"Protect the wizarding world from the evil of Lord Voldemort and hope that Harry has not sunken too far into darkness. Without Harry, we have no chance of ridding the wizarding world of Lord Voldemort."

When the large oak doors finally clanked shut with the Order firmly on the other side, they allowed themselves to exhale and finally crawl out from behind the suits of armour, the three of them covered with dust.

"Sounds like operation trap-a-greasy-bat worked," said Sirius cheerfully. "I quite like being free while Snivellus is chained up. Pay back for trying to ship me back to Azkaban."

"Concentrate Sirius," Remus warned. "We need to get in and out as fast as possible; you can celebrate Snape's incarceration later."

Maggie followed Remus down a long, dark and winding stone spiral staircase, the natural light of the entrance hall fading away behind them as green gleaming torchlight became their only illumination. When they reached the bottom of the spiral staircase Remus pulled his wand out of the pocket of his robes and muttered "Point me Harry Potter". The wand spun several times on the palm of his hand before pointing north-west. "This way," Remus said brusquely and set off at a brisk pace down the dark corridor, Sirius and Maggie following quickly behind.

Bellatrix cursed as she drove her wand forward aggressively, a red light flaring out of its end that met with the sickly green emitting from the end of Alastor Moody's. They had apparated directly in front of the Shrieking Shack, expecting that the cover of the Dark Lord's act on the centre of Hogsmeade would cause enough distraction that they could enter the passage that led into Hogswarts grounds undetected. This would enable them to cause some minor mayhem like setting that oaf of a groundskeeper's hovel on fire and transfiguring all the badger, lion and eagle statues into snakes.

Unfortunately, Alastor Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Bill Weasley had been waiting for them and it had taken only 10 seconds for Rodulphus and Lucius to get stunned (She assumed that the incompetent fools were still breathing). Thankfully, She, Antonin and Rabstan were more skilled duellers, but with Shacklebolt and Moody it would be close. Both men were ferocious duellers only hindered by Moody's age and infirmity, and even that wasn't certain.

She danced quicker now, leaping over green jets of light and countering with increasingly lethal curses. Then, quite by accident, Moody ducked and the red jet of light that Antonin had been shooting at Kingsley Shacklebolt hit the eldest Weasley boy. He crumpled to the ground motionless. Rabstan glared at Antonin before he turned and usurped Antonin's duel with Kingsley, who, surprised at the turn of events, fell stunned uncommonly quickly for the tall auror. With three against one Moody was quickly disarmed and unconscious. Bellatrix smirked at the unconscious figures of the three members of the Order of the Phoenix. With a flick of her wand they were bound and with another, their wands were in the pocket of her robes. Lazily she revived Lucius and Rodulphus.

"How pathetic, Poor little Lucius, that must be a record for you. You must be so very proud, getting stunned within ten seconds of arrival."

"Rodulphus was stunned as well" Lucius said coldly, vanishing the dirt off his robes.

"Head down to Hogsmeade to assist the Dark Lord," Bellatrix snapped, "Although what use you'll be to him, Merlin only knows. I believe that I can cause some minor damage to the Hogwarts grounds on my own." Lucius nodded tersely and then he and the other three strode down the twisted path towards Hogsmeade village.

Bellatrix waited until they were out of sight before murmuring "Rennervate". Bill Weasley blinked into consciousness, Bellatrix jammed her wand into his jugular. "Now listen very carefully, do you think you can do that?" She continued in a baby voice, "You've been a very naughty boy, haven't you?" Her voice turned harsher, "How much gold did Dumbledore give you to kidnap Harry and Draco?"

Bill's eyes widened, "I didn't honestly, It wasn't me."

"Liar!" She shrieked, "Crucio!"

He writhed about in agony, his movement restricted by the bindings.

Bellatrix lifted the curse, "I'll say it again. What did you gain from kidnapping Harry and Draco?"

"I didn't, honestly," he said hoarsely. "I was in London visiting my girlfriend."

Bellatrix scowled and muttered, "Legilimens." Her vision filled with the Weasley boy's memories. She searched through the sea of past events and dreams, looking for any hint of the trip to the theme park. There was nothing. She pulled out of his mind scowling. "You were telling the truth, my apologies. Stupefy."

She moved from the unconscious red head to the two senior Aurors. Deliberating as to which one would yield more information she decided that, if nothing else, a little conversation with Moody might repay him for the death of her cousin Evan.

"Wakey, Wakey!" She said mockingly

Moody's magical eye swivelled to meet hers, "Lestrange, you mad old hag."

"Aren't you happy to see me? I thought after so long that we might have a little chat."

"Are your conversation partners usually tied up? Or am I a special case?"

"It rather depends, Moody, on what you know about Harry and my nephew's abduction," Bellatrix snarled.

"The boy needs to be with people who know what is best for him, rather than with scum like you."

"Crucio!" Bellatrix held the curse for as long as she could, Moody writhing around in agony. When she lifted it there was blood dribbling out of the corner of his both from where he had bitten his tongue.

"Sadistic bitch," he spat.

She cackled, "Is that the best you can do Moody? Now, I suggest that you co-operate. Legilimens."

This time she found the memories easily, Dumbledore and Moody having a meeting, planning the abduction. Moody watching Remus and Maggie disappear out of sight on some muggle contraption. Moody watching Draco walk away and then moving to grab Harry. She saw Draco landing with a crash his stump bleeding all over the floor. She pulled herself out of Moody's mind, absolutely furious.

"The boy needed to be retrieved," Moody growled, "it's merely a bonus that we got Lucius Malfoy's son at the same time, even if Dumbledore did make me reattach the little git's leg."

Bellatrix's face flushed blotchily with anger, "You forget Moody," she yelled , "that Draco Malfoy is my sisters son! The blood of Phineas Nigellus Black, the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had runs through his veins just as it does mine. And we do not tolerate anyone besmirching our family. I'd have thought that you would have learned that lesson after what happened to the Longbottoms."

He roared and attempted to break free of his bindings; she very quickly petrified him. "I think, Moody, that I'll put you back to sleep and let the Dark Lord deal with you once we've rescued Harry and Draco."

Realisation dawned on Moody's face but before he could say anything else she had silently stunned him. Panting, she turned a twig into a Portkey and sent the three unconscious order members back to Little Hangelton. It would be cruel to deny Narcissa some alone time with Moody, after all.

The corridor seemed to have gone on for miles, twisting and turning below the castle, slime and bat droppings dripping down onto their heads and robes as they went passed. After what felt like an eternity Remus's wand stopped and pointed directly in front of them at the wall that looked like nothing more than a slab of rock.

"There must be some sort of hidden entrance," Remus muttered. "Specialis Revelio"

A vertical slit appeared in the wall.

"Alohomora," Sirius said, his voice echoing down the corridor. There was a hideous scraping sound as the rock parted revealing a dark chasm.

"Who's there?" said an imperious voice from inside the cavern.

"Draco?" Maggie called back, "Are you and Harry alright?"

"We're fine Maggie" Harry yelled, "You couldn't possibly unchain us though could you?"

"Chained?" Remus asked dangerously. "Dumbledore has you chained up?"

"Sirius, some light please so that we can unchain them," Maggie said coldly.

"Lumos Maxima"

The cavern lit up, revealing three figures chained to the wall, two of them young boys with black and pale blonde hair and an unconscious third figure with a shock of blonde hair. Remus rushed forward and unchained Harry. Harry collapsed under his own weight the moment his feet touched the floor.

"Sirius," Remus said urgently, "We're going to need to carry them. You take Harry; I'll take Draco."

"You can't leave him." Harry protested, gesturing at the third occupant of the cave

"Harry's right" Draco interjected, "The Dark Lord will want to see him."

"I can't levitate him up a flight of spiral staircases, not without giving him a serious concussion," Remus said.

"And given that it's not Snivellus, where would the fun be in inflicting a concussion?" Sirius said cheerfully.

Maggie glanced at the hanging figure; he couldn't be too heavy surely? And if he was she could dump him on Regulus when they got back to Myrtle's bathroom.

"I'll take him," She said. "Unchain him, and let's get out of here."

The man was heavier than she'd expected and she staggered with him over her shoulder for ten metres before Remus cast the pondus charm on him and her load became a lot easier. He was a good deal younger than she'd originally thought, despite his lined face. Halfway across the entrance hall he woke up.

"Bella? Where are we going?" The man sounded a little dazed at seeing the daylight and he had evidently mistaken her for her cousin.

"You know Bellatrix? I'm her cousin, Maggie. But if this goes to plan she's not too far away; you'll see her in a hour or so. How long had you been chained up?" she said gently.

"Since the tournament Bella. I did it though Bella, I brought him back, not you. I am his most faithful servant. Voldemort has returned." He said manically

"Yes, the Dark Lord has returned." Merlin's beard, she thought, he has no idea of what is happening.

"Good," he said dreamily and began to hum inanely.

It was only when they got back to the bathroom that he showed any sign of recognition. Regulus was sat on the edge of one of the sinks watching an apparent re-enactment of Myrtle's death when they staggered into the bathroom.

"Harry?" Myrtle said girlishly, "No one told me that you were going to be here too!"

"Hello Myrtle," Harry said weakly.

Regulus, midway through hugging Harry had stopped dead.

"What is it Reg?" Maggie asked.

"Barty?" Regulus said incredulously.

The man slung over her shoulder raised his head and stared in disbelief for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. "Reg they didn't manage to kill you off either!"

Sirius placed Draco down on the floor and walked over to them, "Barty as in Barty Crouch Junior?"

"We did try and tell you," said Harry helpfully, "He didn't get kissed, Snape lied. He's been kept locked up since the final task of the Triwizard Tournament because he knows too much."

Realisation dawned on Maggie. Crouch had been going on about the Triwizard Tournament and this was Crouch the brilliant young death eater whose own father had sent him to Azkaban at the age of eighteen. The man who Voldemort wanted to run the wizarding world, a man who currently seemed to have all the sanity of a fruit bat.

"We need to get going" Maggie said, "Regulus take Barty and lets get out of here before Dumbledore gets back. Where have the broomsticks gone? "

"I've got a better idea" Regulus said, "Barty used to be able to conjure a transportation ward strong enough to allow a Portkey to be used on Hogwarts grounds."

"Yes, but that would have been fourteen years ago; he'd been locked up ever since." Maggie said sceptically.

"He can still do it," Harry said. "He turned the Triwizard cup into a Portkey back in June"

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Fine, Regulus, give him your wand."

"Barty," Regulus said slowly, "We need to get out of here. "

"I'm not an idiot Reg," Crouch said. "I'll need something to turn into a Portkey."

Maggie took off her left boot. "Here, use this."

"Sistite disapporto finis," Crouch said. A gold circle of light enclosed the seven of them. Crouch tapped Maggie's boot, "Portus. Grab onto it quickly." Seven hands grasped blindly on the leather boot and they were whisked away.

They landed in a variety of positions, Maggie, Crouch and Harry slumped face first onto the floor, Draco managed to look regal up until the point that he stumbled and nearly joined Maggie and Harry on the floor. Remus managed to gently land feet first on the ground while Regulus and Sirius landed in true pureblood style, not a hair out of place and looking infinitely superior.

"Boys, stop showing off," said Marius coming over to them. They had landed in the middle of the dining room. Lucius and Narcissa rushed over to them, Narcissa smothering Draco in hugs, kisses and murmurs of "Little Dragon".

As Voldemort glided over to them, Harry beamed at him and said cheekily, "Look Uncle Tom, We've brought you a present."

Maggie lifted Crouch to his feet. Nagini streamed down Voldemort's shoulders and glided up Crouch's body tickling his ear affectionately with her forked tongue.

"I was led to believe that you were soulless Crouch, I have to say that your return is certainly not a disappointment," Voldemort said.

Crouch met Voldemort's red eyes with his own manic brown eyes.

"I have returned to your side my Lord Voldemort, and what news I have for you."

**Thank you to my amazing beta feminist4ever! Question: I am ultimately going to have to kill some characters off as there will have to be an actual final battle. Who you would like me to kill off and who you would like me to save?**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

There was a cold, tense atmosphere in the dining room. The only inhabitant of Riddle House who seemed to be remotely happy was Nagini who was draped across the table, slowly digesting a large mouse. There had been a matter of considerable disagreement between Dolohov and Maggie concerning Alastor Moody. Dolohov argued that Bellatrix had extracted all possible information from the grizzled ex-Auror and therefore disposal, preferably in the most painful way possible was the only rational (and enjoyable) course of action. Maggie was furious; irrespective of how much pain Alastor Moody had inflicted over the course of his life, the man deserved a trial. Admittedly, she did fancy the idea of forcing the man to relive the suffering he inflicted on others, but execution was just crude and ending someone's life as though it was worthless was beyond her. Death was a way out of suffering; it was far crueller to make someone live, as Bellatrix had demonstrated so expertly on the Longbottoms. There was also a matter of disagreement over the fate of Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Marius, Remus, Regulus and Maggie argued that both teenagers could be used to sway their parents (or in Ron's case father and older brothers) to Maggie's cause. The issue for some of the death eaters was the matter of working with muggles. Maggie had argued that the death eaters had quite happily worked with Vampires, hags, Giants and Fenrir Greyback during the last wizarding war. If they could bring themselves to work with other supposedly contemptible beings, would it not be possible to work for a brief amount of time with non-magical humans?

Barty Crouch Junior had returned to the fold in spectacular fashion; his news was indeed incredible. As Alastor Moody, he had been trusted enough to be able to figure out exactly why Albus Dumbledore trusted Snape so much. Sirius had turned bright green at the thought of Snape snogging Lily and had puked violently all over Agalia.

Voldemort was sat at the end of the table scowling at a newspaper clipping from the daily prophet in which Augusta Longbottom (83) of_Budleigh_ Babberton , Dorset waxed lyrically on the evils of death eaters, the bravery of the Auror department and the Order of the Phoenix and mentioned her catatonic son at least 5 times a paragraph. Mrs Longbottom finished by proclaiming "My grandson Neville is good friends with Harry Potter and he is bereft at the knowledge that Harry may not be returning to school in September as he is being held against his will by Voldemort, and his associates."

"It is clear," Voldemort said, incinerating the newspaper with the end of his wand, "that Mrs Longbottom has not learned anything from her beloved son's current condition. It is a mercy at least that the grandson seems to possess none of his father's bravado."

Barty Crouch spat out a chicken bone, "The boy is an excellent herbologist, my lord Voldemort. He was little skill however, for wandwork, though perhaps this is because he has been forced to use his father's wand. With the right wand, he may prove more of a challenge."

Bellatrix cackled, "Then it's good for us that the mad old hag is too stubborn to realise that she can't turn son into father."

"It could prove useful," Maggie said. "Could the boy be recruited if we offer him an escape from her?"

"I doubt it," Barty said lazily, "Unlike Potter, the boy has no Slytherin in him, he's too far indoctrinated with Gryffindor is good and down with the snakes to consider switching sides even in order to escape his grandmother."

"What about Granger and Weasley, Barty?" Voldemort asked.

"Granger would be a prime recruit without her unfortunate parentage. She's highly intelligent, Snape has taught her a mistrust for authority and she's incredibly loyal to Potter. She reminds me quite a bit of Bellatrix only without the stint in Azkaban. Weasley on the other hand would still be a prime recruit, but more basic techniques would be required for conversion. The boy is a sixth son of a large family, last year he abandoned Potter for nearly a month out of jealousy. He simply requires the chance to prove himself beyond his families expectations." Barty said.

"I seem to remember another young man trying exactly the same thing," Marius said sadly, looking at Regulus.

"What did you need to prove Reg?" Sirius said in amazement, knocking over a flagon of pumpkin juice "I'd jumped ship, you were mother's favourite and the whole family hated my guts. What was your problem?"

"Even when you'd cleared off." Regulus said bitterly, "There was still a giant shadow hanging over me. My OWL results weren't as good as yours, I wasn't as popular or charismatic or good looking as you. I could never live up to your competition even when there wasn't meant to be one."

"You were smart enough not to land yourself in Azkaban," said Sirius sheepishly, "And tragically," he said dramatically, "I no longer possess the dashing good looks that drove the women of Hogwarts and half the males wild. I think in the long run Reg you won the competition."

"Can we please move on from this overly sentimental rubbish to the more important matter of Weasley and Granger's future. Yaxley, please bring me Weasley and Granger, it is time that they were either put to use or discarded." Voldemort said.

Ten minutes later two defiant teenagers were brought in to the room with Yaxley's wand pointed at their backs. They were still wearing the clothing they had been wearing at the theme park which unsurprisingly had started to release a pungent odour. When the teenagers were marched directly in front of him, Voldemort lazily waved his wand and soap bubbled up all over Ron and Hermione.

"Bloody hell!" Ron spluttered before the soap appeared in his mouth.

"Language, Mr Weasley," Lucius Malfoy sneered.

"Thank you for your contribution Lucius." Voldemort said coldly.

"Apologies, my lord."

Nagini slithered along the table before settling herself around Voldemort's neck, her head resting on his shoulder, her forked tongue flicking out to taste Ron and Hermione's scent.

"Mr Weasley and Miss Granger, I have a proposition for you. Barty has been informing me of your potential; it would be a waste to have to kill you. I will ask this only once. Join us and take a stand against Dumbledore ." Voldemort said sibilantly.

Then Voldemort surged forward into their minds, twisting his words to their individual flaws.

Hermione found herself faced with a handsome, black-haired teenage boy, his head boy badge gleaming on his chest, holding a copy of Hogwarts: A History.

"It's fascinating isn't it, Miss Granger, how so often it is the children brought up in the muggle world are the ones who excel the most. I myself had a thirst for learning that my classmates never had because I wanted to fully discover this new world and escape from the old one that never fully understands magical children. But you know that don't you?" He said silkily.

"Those girls at your primary school were most unkind, I'm sure. _They_ never understood you, or me either. Then the letter came and we both escaped the ignorance of the muggle world and emerged into a world just as ignorant and intolerant of everything that wasn't in the status quo. My first term at Hogwarts, Drusilla Rosier and Rodulphus Lestrange were most unkind to me, and I was not fortunate to have made friends like Harry and Ron. I arrived with a muggle surname, second hand robes and a talent that neither of them could hope to possess." The boy smiled at her, it was a cruel smile which spoke of vengeance and pain.

Drusilla's family now serves me. The Lestranges are some of my most devoted followers. Harry tells me that you are the most brilliant witch of your age. We have both proved that origins don't matter and that talent and ambition are the only things required for success. But what do your parents think? They don't understand or get a say in the world that they contributed £28,000 a year to. Maggie wants to change that, and so do I. Surely you of all people don't think that an end to squib, werewolf and muggle born oppression would be a bad thing, because you, Miss Granger, know what it means to be oppressed."

Hermione gasped as the deep blue eyes turned red and she returned to the real world.

Inside Ron's head a more poisonous message was swirling around his brain.

"The sixth son, least loved... your mother craved a daughter. Your family make you seem so insignificant... you have a thirst to prove yourself. Let me give you that opportunity as I have for so many others." Voldemort showed Ron the ambitions of so many death eaters: Beautiful, defiant eighteen year old Bellatrix pleading to join to prove to her parents that she could make them proud without the promise of grandchildren to carry on the Black legacy. Dark haired, overlooked sixteen year old Regulus Black seeking to prove himself equal to his older brother. A pale and freckled fifteen year old Barty Crouch, seeking the approval of a father figure to replace his own distant and absentee parent. They have more than proved themselves, found everything they sought at my side., and so can you. I am the refuge of the overlooked, the outcasts, the dredges of wizarding society. Nothing matters to me but talent and ambition, because there is only power and those to weak to seek it. No good, no evil, just greatness. I will bring forth a new age of equal opportunities for all, and you can be beside me when it happens. Join me, Ronald Weasley, and prove to yourself that you are more than your mother's bias. _I_ know you're better than that. Prove it."

The malevolent red eyes exited Ron's brain and became fixed in the smirking, serpentine face in front of him.

"Barty, Remus, Bellatrix, and Maggie may I suggest that you take Hermione for some fresh air? I don't appreciate fainting in the middle of meetings. "

Maggie and Remus grasped a trembling Hermione under the arms and, following Barty and Bellatrix, they escorted her to the kitchen and lowered her down into a chair. Remus presented her with a cup of tea.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked, calming down.

"Harry and Draco are with Narcissa; Lord Voldemort felt it might be beneficial for you not to see Harry until he was certain neither of you was going to return him to Dumbledore ." Maggie said.

Barty sat opposite Hermione at the rough wooden table.

"Hermione, I know from teaching you last year how intelligent you are. We need your intelligence to help us with a little problem we currently have."

"It's not a 'little problem' at all Barty," Remus interrupted. "You see, Hermione, Dumbledore has decided that ending child neglect is a crime and that anyone non-magical interfering in the wizarding world is evil. If we don't get enough people on our side Maggie will go for Azkaban for far too long because she rescued Harry from the Dursleys. We want you to start organising a campaign of muggle- borns parents to show that Maggie is correct in her argument that squibs ought to have rights in the wizarding world as should your parents and me."

"We've already got enough support from Squibs and werewolves and more than enough people agreeing to argue that Slytherins are discriminated against by Dumbledore from the age of 11 but we've not got enough links with the muggle world and most of us can't canvas up support because we're either meant to be in Azkaban or dead." Barty continued.

"We need your help because, as much as I hate to admit it, if socialising the muggles," Bellatrix said in disgust, "ensures that the ancient and most noble house of black avoids any more of its members ending up in Azkaban, then I will manage to contain my revulsion."

"Right then," said Hermione briskly, already having made up her mind. "We need to send letters to all the muggle parents of Hogwarts students, explaining Maggie's situation and what they can do to assist her in her fight against squib oppression. Parchment please?"

"You're in a wizarding house, you stupid mudblood," Bellatrix sneered. "They can't actually tell if you cast underage magic unless you're in an isolated environment."

Hermione went a faint shade of red and muttered "Tarantangula" Bellatrix's feet tap-danced furiously for a moment before she cast the counter curse.

"Very good girl," Bellatrix cackled. "What else can you do?"

"Bellatrix, can we get on the task in hand rather than challenging fifteen year olds to ad hoc duels ?" Remus said mildly.

"Thank you, Remus." Maggie said, "Can we possibly ensure that the muggle address for this house is on the letter? I'm sure that parents would prefer to write to a known muggle address rather than trust that there is a wizard in the postal service."

"Sure" Hermione said, pointing her wand at the other end of the table though there was nothing there. "Accio parchment, ink and quill."

Parchment, ink and a peacock feather quill soared towards them from all directions.

"Ah," Maggie said, catching the quill. "That's a Malfoy Quill isn't it?"

"Excellent!" Bellatrix said slightly manically. "Hopefully one of Lucius's; it's always so much fun to ensure that he knows his place in meetings."

Barty burst out laughing, "I don't think it is Lucius's Bella! It came from the wrong direction. I imagine that it's being followed by an angry Narcissa."

An ink covered Narcissa stormed into the room, "Who presumed that randomly summoning objects was a good idea?!"

"Oops?" Hermione said apologetically.

"You have to admit mum," said Draco," following her into the room, "that it was hilarious,"

"Malfoy," Hermione said coolly.

"Granger," Draco responded.

Before the two could do or say anything, they heard a shriek of, "Hermione!" and then Harry burst into the room.

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked and knocked over the ink bottle. She turned bright red and muttered, "Evanesco."

Barty burst out laughing, "What state is Gryffindor common room in if you two cause mass destruction just by seeing each other?"

Remus smiled. "From what Minerva says, mischief and mayhem doubles every time there's a Potter in the school."

"Or is that just the fact that she has bad memories of having to sort out the chaos inflicted by the marauders?" Narcissa said dryly.

"I imagine that's it," Maggie said. "I don't think Harry, Ron and Hermione have actively tried to kill another student unlike the marauders."

"Who tried to kill who?" questioned Draco.

"Sirius tried to kill Snape" Remus said, "It was not a sensible thing to do and it nearly got the rest of us expelled, never mind Sirius."

"On that note," Bellatrix said, "I can't line you up as Snape's executioner then? " Harry stared open mouthed at her.

"No," Remus said firmly. "I would like to eternally avoid killing anyone at the full moon, thank you very much."

"Besides," Barty said sardonically, "I don't think Snape would taste very nice anyway. Harry, you're catching flies."

Harry shut his mouth, red.

"Remus," Maggie said, "while Hermione is writing this letter to the parents perhaps you could go and retrieve Ron."

Remus nodded and exited the room.

"Does this look right?" Hermione asked.

Maggie scanned through the letter; it was brief and to the point but it seemed sympathetic to her.

_Dear parents of Hogwarts students,_

_You will probably not be aware of the current controversy surrounding the status of squibs in the wizarding world. Earlier this month, Medeia Black was charged with interference and political manipulation in the wizarding world as she tried to remove a teenage boy from his abusive relatives against the wishes of Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore._

If convicted, Miss Black faces twenty five years in Azkaban and a legal precedent will be set that no being other than wizards and witches may have representation or legal rights within the wizarding world, a precedent which would discriminate against not just werewolves and squibs but also the muggle parents and guardians of wizarding children. Therefore we urge you as parents who finance the educations of the next generation of witches and wizards to take a stand with us and fight for the rights of non-magical or un-human members of the wizarding community. Please send your letters of evidence, comment, and petition along with offers to present evidence in court to:

The Riddle House  
Little Hangelton  
Denby Dale  
West Yorkshire  
DN13 1AA

_With thanks,_

_Wizarding Equality Executive (WEE)_

"Excellent Hermione, just what we need. Not overly sure about the acronym but I suppose it's memorable and no less stupid than OWLs and NEWTSs "

Bellatrix grabbed it off Maggie and glanced at it, cackling with laughter at the acronym, before casting a duplication charm on it and then banishing it to their make shift owlry to be addressed and posted by Avery.

Ron and Remus walked into to the room.

"Hello Harry," Ron said awkwardly.

"Ron!" Harry said hugging him eagerly. "You're alright with this aren't you?"

"Yeah...it's my decision isn't it? I can do something here. No offence mate but the dark lord doesn't seem to be quite so biased towards you as Dumbledore and..."

"And you want to be recognised as yourself, not just as my best friend. I think I got that message last year, Ron. "Harry said smiling.

"And as long as you don't act like a jealous prat," Maggie said glaring at Ron, "I'm sure that we can all cope with a Weasley being overambitious."

"It will be a major shock for the world." Draco said snidely, "Doesn't your father spend his life messing around with Muggles?"

Barty glanced at Ron and Draco who were giving each other death glares, "I know boys that there is a lot of pent up aggression between you, therefore, to ensure that we don't have a weak link in this organisation, why don't we have a mini-duel between the two of you? You can both release some anger and I can make a lot of money running a gambling ring."

They glared at each other and nodded.

"Then my little competitors, go and prepare. But be warned, at any time for my own entertainment human-animal transfiguration could occur," Barty said manically.

Draco glanced in worry and amazement at Barty, remembering his painful if brief time as a ferret, and scurried off, Ron behind him elbowing him to get ahead. Narcissa followed her son, glaring at Barty as she left.

"Barty?" Maggie said exhausted, "You do realise you've just authorised carnage?"

"Yes," Barty said smiling insanely. "But extremely profitable carnage."

"And as a former teacher, you somehow think it's a excellent plan to allow two fifteen year olds to massacre each other?" Maggie said sarcastically, "And betting on the outcome is even worse Barty!"

"Three sickles on Draco," said Remus, walking past.

"Remus!"

**Thanks to my amazing beta feminist4ever. Sorry for the delay, I had exams, hopefully chapter seventeen will be up soon.**


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